Panzanella alla Fiorentina ITALY bread, red onion and tomato salad
Only in Tuscany would they make a bread without salt and then use the fruits of the fields to flavour it.
- 500 g Tuscan bread, sliced
- 200 g mature tomatoes, diced
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 celery stalk, sliced (optional)
- 30 g basil, handful, torn
- 30 ml Tuscan vinegar / red wine vinegar (optional)
- 25 ml olive oil
- Mineral water
- Salt, pinch
- Pepper, pinch
Vinegar defines the regional differences with this dish. Some recipes call for the bread to be soaked in vinegar and water, others have a red wine vinegar dressing and many have no vinegar at all.
Soaking the bread in water for five minutes is not optional, cutting it into slices or making it into breadcrumbs is.
Mix all the ingredients together with two wooden forks. Celery is popular with panzanella eaters.
Put in a cold place for two hours or more, garnish with a little more basil before serving.
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