La Panzanella Tomato & Bread Salad

Mediterranean ingredients are essential for a summer table!

Salads are my favourites during the summer months and with good reason, I just simply dress the salad ingredients at the last minute.

This salad celebrates the very best of the season’s tomatoes.

Ingredients

• 6 large tomatoes or 250gr of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 2 cups of diced stale Italian style bread
• 2 small red onions, peeled, halved and sliced finely
• 20 Kalamata olives
• 12 bocconcini, whole
• 1/2 cup torn basil leaves
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of finely chopped fresh garlic
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup freshly shaved parmesan

Method

• Put the tomatoes, bread, red onion, olives, basil, salt and pepper in a bowl.

• In a small bowl using a fork mix together the olive oil, vinegar and garlic. Add salt to taste.
• Dress the salad with the vinaigrette.

• When ready to serve drizzle a little more olive oil and top with freshly shaved parmesan.

Tips

• You can use a variety of tomatoes but just keep it simple.
• I like to add dried herbs to the bread which I had baked for a few minutes in the oven to make it crispy. This is my little secret to add more flavour to this salad.
• When I am in France I always buy a jar of Herbs de Provence. This is a must!

• Herbs de Provence is a mixture of thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, marjoram, oregano and bay leaf.