Ripe Heirloom Tomatoes team with Garlicky Toasted Bread and Plenty of Basil Leaves.
Top with my Zesty “Shaken” Italian Dressing and scatter some thinly sliced Red Onions and cubes of Cucumber.
No two Panzanella Salads are the same!
I have made two Panzanellas!
One with “Candyland” Miniature Tomatoes with Gluten Free Bread…
And One with Red Zebra, Strawberry Cherry and Green Tiger Tomatoes with Ciabatta Bread.
I LOVE TOMATOES!
And now, in early August these flavorful and colorful varieties are at their havesting peak. I am so happy…
This IS the salad to serve right now.
Fabulous heirloom tomatoes, with all their colors, textures and homegrown flavor are tossed together with garlicky, crispy bread – which is still chewy inside are coated with a zesty “shaken Italian vinaigrette” which rehydrates the bread, softens and flavors it.
Serve as the ultimate side dish – starter – or add some grilled proteins for a Summertime main dish.
Visit a Farmer’s Market and see the number crop of Heirloom Tomatoes!
Here in the North East they are available usually until early October.
An Heirloom Tomato is an open-pollinated variety that has been passed down at least 50 years through several generations in a family, ethnic, religious, or tribal group, or was commercially introduced before 1940.
Praised for their “old fashioned tomato taste.”
There are more than 3,000 varieties of heirloom or heritage tomatoes in active cultivation worldwide and more than 15,000 known varieties.
These miniature tomatoes – “Candyland” (aren’t they cute?) variety are only about 1/2″ – so I combined them with the same sized bread squares, which are toasted in the oven with garlic and extra virgin olive oil.
Enjoy Tomato Season!
Karen