Italian bread salad (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Veggies and Bread
01 -
Fresh basil leaves - ½ bunch
02 -
Ripe tomatoes - 500 g
03 -
Rustic bread, slightly stale - 200 g
04 -
One organic cucumber
05 -
One red onion
06 -
Optional: 75 g of olives
→ Dressing
07 -
6 tablespoons of top-quality olive oil
08 -
3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, or red wine vinegar
09 -
Salt and pepper as much as you like
# Instructions:
01 -
Cut your slices of bread into cubes about 1 to 2 cm big, then toast them in a toaster or oven until crisp and golden. Pop them in a big dish or bowl and drizzle around 9 cl of water over the top. Let them soak for 15 to 30 minutes to soften a bit, but don’t let them get soggy.
02 -
Rinse the tomatoes and rough chop them (or halve them if they’re cherry tomatoes). Dice up the cucumber (no need to take the skin off if it’s organic). Slice the red onion nice and thin, ideally with a mandoline if you’ve got one. Pick the basil leaves from the stems and set them aside.
03 -
Grab a big mixing bowl. Combine the vinegar with a dash of salt and a grind of pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing comes together in a smooth blend.
04 -
Add your tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, and basil to the bowl with the dressing. Gently stir to coat. Squeeze the extra water out of the soaked bread cubes with your hands, then toss them into the salad. Give it all a good mix so everything soaks up the flavor.
05 -
Pop the salad in the fridge for 1-2 hours so the flavors can mix and the bread gets extra tasty. Take it out about 30 minutes before eating, so it’s not too cold when served.
# Notes:
01 -
Tomato variety: Try mixing heirloom or cherry tomatoes in different colors for a prettier dish with bold flavors.
02 -
Crunchy cucumber fix: Sprinkle the cucumber with salt to pull out extra water while the bread is soaking.
03 -
Extra toppings: Add a scoop of burrata or some stracciatella for creaminess. Or toss on slices of prosciutto and even a few roasted peach slices if you’re feeling fancy.
04 -
Skip soaking the bread: If your bread is fresh, toast it and toss it straight in. The tomato juices will soften it just enough.