In the vibrant realm of Italian cuisine, Panzanella stands tall as a refreshing and flavorful summer salad. Originating from Tuscany, this vibrant dish finds its essence in the harmonious union of fresh, sun-ripened tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, fragrant basil, and crusty bread. As the name suggests, "pane" meaning bread in Italian, stale bread finds new life in Panzanella, soaked in a tangy dressing and mingling with the garden's bounty.
In this culinary journey, we will embark on a delectable odyssey, exploring variations of Panzanella that capture the essence of this classic Italian salad. From the traditional Tuscan Panzanella to innovative twists that incorporate grilled vegetables, seafood, and even fruits, each recipe promises a unique gustatory experience. Along the way, we will uncover the secrets of crafting the perfect dressing, selecting the finest ingredients, and mastering the art of balancing flavors to create a symphony of taste. So, let us delve into the world of Panzanella, where simplicity meets sophistication, and every bite transports us to the sun-drenched hills of Italy.
ASPARAGUS PANZANELLA
Crisp asparagus gives a springtime twist to this Italian bread salad.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Salad Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Snap off and discard the tough ends of asparagus. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil; prepare an ice bath. Cook asparagus until bright green and just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer immediately to ice bath. Drain; place on a clean kitchen towel.
- In a large bowl, combine asparagus, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, olives, capers, and bread; toss to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk together red-wine vinegar and olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Pour vinaigrette over asparagus mixture, and toss until well coated. Let sit until bread absorbs juices, and serve.
PANZANELLA
Steps:
- Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.
- For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.
- In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.
ASPARAGUS AND TOMATO TART
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place the frozen pie crust onto a baking sheet. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork and bake for 10 minutes.
- Saute the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on a paper towel. Add onion and asparagus tips to the skillet with the bacon fat and saute until tender, approximately 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl whisk together ricotta, milk and eggs. Add parsley, half the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Add asparagus and onion mixture and combine well. Pour egg mixture into the prepared crust.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until filling has set and the tart is lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- In a small bowl, toss the remaining tomatoes with the basil, balsamic vinegar and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Serve as garnish for tart.
SPRING PANZANELLA
Provided by Michael Chiarello : Food Network
Categories side-dish
Time 30m
Yield 10 servings
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Holding an asparagus spear in both hands, bend the spear until it breaks naturally at the point where the spear becomes tough. Discard the tough end. Repeat with the remaining asparagus. Cut off the tender tips and reserve.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus tips and cook briefly, just until they lose their raw taste. Lift them out with a sieve or skimmer and let cool. Add the remaining portion of the asparagus spears and cook until tender enough to puree, then drain well.
- Put the asparagus spears basil, 6 tablespoons of the olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste, in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine the croutons, asparagus tips, peas, and green or spring onion. Add some of the asparagus puree and toss to coat well. Add more puree as needed to coat lightly and evenly. Add 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice and toss again. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then make an even layer of the mixture on a platter.
- In another bowl, combine the radicchio and spinach or arugula. Dress with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well, then mound on top of the dressed croutons. With a cheese plane or vegetable peeler, shave some ricotta salata over the top. Serve immediately.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over moderate heat and cook until it foams. Add the bread cubes and toss to coat with the butter. Transfer the bread to a baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle with the cheese and toss again while warm to melt the cheese.
- Bake, stirring once or twice, until the croutons are crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still soft within, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool. Store in an airtight container.
- Michael's Notes: I use a serrated knife to remove the crust from day-old bread, and then switch to a chef's knife to cut the cubes because it doesn't tear the bread. Also note that I recommend grating the Parmesan finely so that it will stick to the bread better.
- Yield: 4 to 4 1/2 cups
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over moderate heat and cook until it foams. Add the bread cubes and toss to coat with the butter. Transfer the bread to a baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle with the cheese and toss again while warm to melt the cheese.
- Bake, stirring once or twice, until the croutons are crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still soft within, about 10 to12 minutes. Let cool. Store in an airtight
- container.
ASPARAGUS AND TOMATO PANZANELLA
Asparagus and other vegetables are tossed together with Italian-style bread and drizzled with red wine vinegar and olive oil.
Provided by Sarahscakes
Categories Asparagus Salad
Time 1h10m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Toss bread, 1/4 cup olive oil, and garlic in a bowl until coated. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer mixture to a baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven until toasted, about 15 minutes, stirring and flipping bread cubes about halfway through. Allow bread to cool.
- Fill a large bowl with iced water; set aside. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; cook asparagus in boiling water until bright green and just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer asparagus to iced water to cool. Drain and dry on a clean towel. Cut asparagus into thirds.
- Mix asparagus, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, yellow tomatoes, red onion, olives, capers, mozzarella balls, and bread cubes in a large bowl. Whisk red wine vinegar and 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Pour vinegar dressing over bread mixture; toss to combine. Allow bread salad to rest for 20 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 342.2 calories, Carbohydrate 21.4 g, Cholesterol 9 mg, Fat 25.7 g, Fiber 3.6 g, Protein 8.6 g, SaturatedFat 4.7 g, Sodium 720.3 mg, Sugar 3.6 g
PANZANELLA WITH MOZZARELLA AND HERBS
At the height of tomato season, for every perfectly ripe, taut and juicy specimen, there's an overripe, oozing counterpart not far away. The Tuscan bread salad called panzanella is the perfect place to use those sad, soft tomatoes that are still rich in flavor. Traditional panzanella is made with stale, dried bread that's rehydrated from a dressing of sweet tomato juices, vinegar and plenty of olive oil. This version also includes some mozzarella for richness and cucumber for crunch. It's an ideal make-ahead dish; the longer the mixture sits (up to 6 or so hours), the better it tastes. Just make sure your bread thoroughly dries out in the oven so it won't turn to mush.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories dinner, lunch, salads and dressings, appetizer, side dish
Time 45m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons oil and a pinch of salt. Bake until they are dried out and pale golden brown at the edges, about 7 to 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
- Cut tomatoes into bite-size pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Add mozzarella, onions, garlic paste, 1 tablespoon vinegar, oregano or thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes if using. Toss to coat and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, the mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt and some black pepper to taste. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil until the mixture is thickened. Stir in cucumbers, basil and parsley.
- Add bread cubes, cucumber mixture and capers to the tomatoes and toss well. Let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours before serving. Toss with a little more olive oil, vinegar and salt if needed just before serving.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 293, UnsaturatedFat 14 grams, Carbohydrate 18 grams, Fat 21 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 10 grams, SaturatedFat 6 grams, Sodium 561 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 0 grams
Tips:
- Select the freshest ingredients. Use ripe, in-season tomatoes and crisp, tender asparagus for the best flavor.
- Don't overcook the asparagus. Asparagus should be cooked until it is tender-crisp, but not mushy. Blanching the asparagus in boiling water for a few minutes is a quick and easy way to achieve this.
- Use a good quality olive oil. Olive oil is a key ingredient in panzanella, so it's important to use a good quality oil that has a fruity, flavorful taste.
- Add some herbs for extra flavor. Fresh basil, oregano, or thyme are all great additions to panzanella. You can also add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little spice.
- Serve panzanella immediately. Panzanella is best served immediately after it is made, while the bread is still crispy and the vegetables are still fresh.
Conclusion:
Asparagus and tomato panzanella is a delicious and refreshing salad that is perfect for a summer meal. It is easy to make and can be customized to your liking. With its bright flavors and crunchy texture, panzanella is sure to be a hit at your next party or gathering.
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