Starter Recipes
Colourful Tuscan Bread Salad
This is a wonderful summer starter recipe because there is no cooking involved. It is best to make this colourful Tuscan bread starter using Italian bread but you can use another type if you have some to use up. Sourdough bread, pita bread and wholemeal bread all work well. Tear the bread up to make big chunks or shred it like breadcrumbs, whichever you prefer. You can get creative with this easy salad recipe and add your own touches to it.
This is a bread salad not a crouton salad so you don't need to fry or toast the bread. This vegetarian starter recipe is called "panzanella" in Italian and it is a great way to use up stale bread, as well as a healthy starter recipe if you like to use plenty of fresh produce. It is important to use the freshest basil and tomatoes you can find because this will really boost the flavour of this exciting vegetarian starter recipe.
You can add other ingredients to this Italian bread salad if you like, such as marinated artichokes, shredded spinach, chopped avocado, capers, chunks of mozzarella or minced garlic. The authentic recipe for panzanella just uses bread, tomatoes, cucumber, basil, onion, oil and vinegar but you can make this vegetarian starter your own by adding your favourite ingredients to it. Bread salad might not sound like an appetizing dish but one glimpse of this colourful salad and everybody will want some. You can serve it at room temperature if you like but it is very nice chilled, especially if you are serving it in the summer on a warm day.
How to Make Panzanella
Ingredients -
5 slices stale Tuscan bread, ciabatta or similar bread
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
10 basil leaves, shredded
¼ red onion, chopped
¼ red bell pepper, chopped
10 black olives, sliced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Preparation:
Moisten the bread under the tap. It needs to be moist but not too wet. If it gets too wet, squeeze the excess water out. Shred the bread into a big salad bowl. Add the cucumber, tomato, bell pepper, onion, olives and basil.
Add the vinegar and olive oil and stir well. Add more if necessary. Season to taste with the salt and black pepper. Chill the salad in the fridge for half an hour and serve.
(Serves 6)
Photo Description:
This nutritious bread salad recipe is full of vibrant colour and it looks really appetizing. Panzanella recipes are traditionally left alone for at least half an hour before serving, to ensure the flavours mingle and the bread softens. If you want recipes for make ahead starters, this one can be made ahead. If you are making salad recipes for a buffet table, this one makes a lovely, colourful centrepiece. You can also serve it at the dinner table as a side dish or as a starter recipe.
