Panzanella salad is my favorite Italian salad. I just love how the bread cubes adds texture to the dish. Luckily, I have recently learned to make the salad here.
1mediumEnglish cucumbersliced in half lengthwise and cut into chunks
1smallred onionsliced
½cupbasil leavescut into thin ribbons
Instructions
For the bread cubes, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a saucepan, add your olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, remove from the heat and add the garlic cloves. Set aside and allow the garlic to infuse into the oil. Once the oil is cooled, discard the garlic cloves.
Toss the bread cubes and 2 tablespoons of garlic-infused oil. Put them in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden and crispy, about 7 to 10 minutes. Occasionally turn the cubes while baking.
For the vinaigrette, combine the remaining garlic-infused oil with the vinegar, shallot, sugar, salt and pepper and mix well.
For the salad, toss the toasted bread cubes, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion and basil with the vinaigrette in a big bowl. Put more salt and pepper.
Set aside the salad for 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the flavours have time to blend. Sprinkle with extra basil and serve.