How to make a Tuscan panzanella salad in 15 minutes

Panzanella is a central Italian rustic favourite, where chunks of bread soak up juicy tomato, onion and basil. Get stuck in with your hand to tear, shred and mix, just as locals do

Panzanella

Cook: 15 minutes

Serves 4-6 people

500g cherry tomatoes
250g tomatoes on vine
500g mixed speciality tomatoes
1 red onion
150g sourdough
20g basil leaves
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Plenty of cracked black pepper and sea salt

Tear the sourdough into bitesized pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Wash all of the tomatoes, then half the smaller cherries and thickly slice the larger tomatoes and add to the bowl. Peel and thinly slice the onion and add to the tomatoes then sprinkle over a good pinch of salt and pepper, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar and 2 tbsp olive oil.

Move everything around with your hands so the bread soaks up all the wonderful juices. You can leave this for up to 30 minutes at room temperature to let the ingredients get to know each other, but not too long that the bread disintegrates.

Tear the basil leaves into pestle and mortar and add the garlic clove, the remaining vinegar and olive oil. Bash to form a coarse pesto (alternatively you can use a food processor).

Divide the salad between your plates and drizzle over the basil pesto and serve.

Recipe from Farmdrop.com