Panzanella

We love bread at my house…so a bread salad is pretty ideal! It’s a perfect way to use your leftover stale bread. I use three-cheese bread from the bakery, but if you can’t find it, just add some grated Asiago cheese to the finished dish. Panzanella is so refreshing.

5-6 slices of thick sliced bread

1 large English cucumber

½ pint cherry tomatoes

¼ red onion

¾ yellow bell pepper

1 tablespoon capers

10 basil leaves

Sweet Balsamic Vinaigrette

Salt and pepper to taste

Slice the bread into cubes and place onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put into an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for roughly 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and cool.

While the bread is baking, slice the cucumber into disks and then quarter. Put into a serving bowl.

Slice the cherry tomatoes in half, add to the same serving bowl.

Thinly slice the red onion, add to bowl.

Thinly slice the yellow pepper and rough chop the capers, add to bowl.

Tear the basil leaves and add to the bowl.

Add bread cubes to the bowl and then pour the vinaigrette over everything.

Using your hands mix until everything is thoroughly incorporated.

Allow to sit for 20-30 minutes before serving (this allows the flavors to mesh together).

Enjoy!