Summer Panzanella salad

Summer Panzanella salad

summer Panzanella salad close up

So yesterday was summer solstice, the official start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, which is funny to me as it really feels like Greece got the memo way earlier than the rest of Europe. We’ve gone from nice’n’hot to hot’n’unbearable in the last few days…

After over 10 years of very underwhelming English summers, I’m generally loving warm Greek weather but this week I’m finding going about my day-to-day tasks a massive challenge – so much so that I have this strong urge to join my cat, Tina, in lying on a cold marble floor all day…Not that I’ve been invited – she’s been pretty aloof this week. Cats, eh?

So in the current climate, I cannot guarantee any proper cooking or baking will happen on the Lazy Cat Kitchen premises at all. Instead, I can promise you heaps of refreshing salads, cold desserts, and low-effort dinner dishes in the foreseeable future. Basically things that require no to minimal cooking. We’re kicking things off with a beautiful Italian Panzanella salad.

It’s a beautiful marriage of sweet, sun-kissed tomatoes, refreshing cucumber, fragrant basil and crispy sourdough punctuated by the saltiness of capers and juicy black olives. It’s best enjoyed in the sun with a small glass of wine.

summer Panzanella salad

summer Panzanella salad sideview

serves
2-3
PREP
15 min
COOKING
10 min
serves
2-3
PREPARATION
15 min
COOKING
10 min
INGREDIENTS
  • 3 small ripe tomatoes + 15 cherry tomatoes
  • 1 large cucumber
  • 1 medium red shallot
  • a handful of black Kalamata olives
  • a handful of capers
  • 2 slices of a day old sourdough bread (or gluten-free bread if required)
  • a handful of fresh basil leaves
  • 1 tbsp pine nuts, toasted on a dry pan

DRESSING

  • 1½ tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar
  • ½ garlic clove, finely grated
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • sea salt
  • 1 tsp of sugar (optional – if tomatoes lack sweetness)
  • olive oil, for croutons
METHOD
  1. Tear bread into small pieces (you could also dice it if you prefer). Heat up a heavy bottom pan (I used a griddle pan) on the stove. Brush the pan with olive oil and once the oil gets hot, put a portion of the torn bread on the pan and allow it to toast nicely, making sure you move the bread frequently so that it doesn’t burn. Continue with remaining batches of bread, brushing a bit more oil between each batch. Season croutons with salt and set aside.
  2. Mix grated garlic with red wine vinegar in a small bowl and allow it to sit for 5 minutes for the acid to neutralise the raw garlic flavour.
  3. Chop tomatoes and cucumber the way you like them, slice shallot thinly, pit olives if you like and chop capers if you like (I left mine whole.)
  4. Add extra virgin olive oil to the red wine vinegar and garlic mixture. Stir well to emulsify the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a bit of sugar if your tomatoes lack sweetness.
  5. Put chopped tomatoes, cucumber, shallots, olives and capers in a large bowl and stir the dressing through. Adjust seasoning to taste if needed.
  6. Serve dotted with croutons (I like to add them in at the end or else they will lose crispness), fresh basil and toasted pine nuts.
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NUTRITIONAL INFO
calories
286
14%
sugars
9 g
10%
fats
20 g
28%
saturates
3 g
13%
proteins
5 g
10%
carbs
25 g
10%
*per serving
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5.0
2 reviews, 10 comments
REVIEWS & QUESTIONS
Rheena:
One word.. Yummers!!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Rheena! x Ania
Anna:
Hi, so beautiful your panzanella recipe. In Tuscany usually do soak the stale bread in water , squeeze ,and then add the rest of ingredients. Anyway it is so good and flavorful tasting the summer.Have a good time and thanks.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Anna :) You too, hope your summer is peachy!
Vegetarian guy:
I like verity type salad. here found another recipe. Thanks
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks! :)
Karly:
OMG. I was in love before I realized this was a panzanella salad, but now I'm obsessed. All of those contrasting flavors and textures are PERFECT for a backyard bbq side dish!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Karly! :)
Julie:
All my favorite summer in a bowl. Thanks for the delicious pictures too.
My greek oregano plant on the patio is now going crazy. Any ideas on ways to use fresh oregano from its home country? I can only make so much salad dressing!
Love your blog!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw, thanks so much, Julie! So jealous of your oregano plant (I have almost no knack for gardening ;) ) I would sprinkle it on pizza, on home roasted tomatoes, flavour olive oil with it or dry it out for later if you have too much :)
Katrin:
Beautiful simple and colourful :)
I like the way you write. It's enjoyable and entertaining to read.
And the weather... yep, I know what you mean. Sitting in the house most of the day, hiding from the sun. Would not have believed 3 years ago that I sunshine is something to hide from. "Shade" has become the magic word. The best way to survive is to stay in the sea up to the eyeballs. Maybe you should write about taking food to the beach and having a picnic? ;)
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw, thanks Katrin :) Yes, staying up to the eyeballs in the sea sounds like a plan :)
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