An Aeolian Panzanella.
A Sicilian island version of Panzanella, this is a summery salad made with stale bread, originally hailing from Tuscany.
Panzanella
all’Eoliana.
A great use of leftover bread, of which in Tuscany seems to always be a plenty, it makes a deliciously filling yet refreshing lunch.
This is a salad that is very simple to make and gets better as it rests, so is particularly good for picnics and especially lunches whipped up or eaten onboard boats.
The traditional Tuscan version contains tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, red onion, stale bread, olive oil and salt and pepper. This Aeolian incarnation has the addition of salted capers and oregano, substituting the cucumber. Many variations of this can of course be made – it is also very good with tinned tuna or mackerel. Some even fancy-it-up with a poached langoustine. The key is to soak the bread in water for at least half an hour and then squeeze out all its juice. And also soak the onion in water and vinegar to eliminate its pungency. Most importantly, the fully composed salad needs to rest for at least an hour, to ensure that all of its flavours are well amalgamated.
This is now where opinions diverge. Some say to refrigerate, and others maintain that it should never enter a fridge. Some also maintain that although the salad improves as it rests, it should only be dressed immediately before serving.
Having extensively experimented somewhat, (a result of sheer laziness to make anything else for lunch over a succession of days if not weeks: this is categorically the easiest summer’s lunch you can make) I side with dressing in olive oil before resting, which gives it much more flavour, but avoid vinegar in the dressing, which can make the salad too abrasive, especially the day after. The fridge depends entirely on context. If you are eating it within the hour, the fridge will speed up the flavours. If you have half a day, and it’s not a very warm day, room temperature is a gentler option for seeping. Save the vinegar for the onions and capers only, and it will keep well for up to two days.
Its simplicity and bready deliciousness make it very morish, and quite addictive especially if you find yourself in a fairly warm climate with many mouths to feed daily. It’s worth experimenting with fruit as well, such as peaches, blackberries or various shades of melon. Adding bread to a salad is the easiest way of adding grains without any cooking. A real luxury on hot days.
RECIPE.
Serves 4
Stale country-style bread/sourdough, a medium slice per person
Tomatoes, 6 medium sized tomatoes or equivalent in cherry tomatoes
Salted capers, a handful
Red Onion, one medium sized
Basil, a handful
Oregano, a sprinkle
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
White wine vinegar, two spoonfuls
Leave the bread to soak in water for half an hour,
In the meantime slice the red onion finely and place in a bowl covered with 2 spoons of vinegar and water.
Wash the capers of their salt and add to the bowl with onions.
Wash and slice the tomatoes into chunks.
Drain the bread and squeeze out its juices and put in a salad bowl.
Drizzle liberally with olive oil and lightly sprinkle with salt and oregano; break up and mix with your hands.
Add to the tomatoes, drained onions and capers to the salad bowl and mix thoroughly with a spoon, or better yet your hands.
Break up the basil leaves with your hands and add to the bowl.
Drizzle with more olive oil and taste and adjust for more salt, pepper and oregano.
Set aside or refrigerate for an hour.
Serve at room temperature or 20 minutes out of the fridge.
