September 11, 2024
This simple, summery tomato, basil, onion and crouton salad with a punchy red wine vinegar dressing is a fab way to use up day-old artisan bread and an excess stash of fresh tomatoes. For a dairy-free take, you can skip the cheese or replace with a vegan feta.
Serves 6
6-8 slices stale Artisan style bread (e.g. Pana di Casa, dark rye or Ciabatta)
4 tsp plant-based Nuttelex for buttering the sliced bread
4 tbsp plant-based Nuttelex for baking the cubed bread
1 kg ripe tomatoes washed & cut into wedges then in half again
1/2 red onion peeled & thinly sliced
1 small shallot peeled & thinly sliced
220 g fresh mozzarella (cut into small bite sizes) or Bambini bocconcini or goats cheese (for dairy-free skip this ingredient)
generous handful of fresh basil leaves
The Dressing
1Preheat oven @ 160C fan forced or 180C conventional oven
2Slice bread to a medium width, then butter with Nuttelex. Cut into cubes and sprinkle with salt place on a tray lined with baking paper then add 3-4 teaspoons of Nuttelex dotted over the tray and bake in the oven for 10 minutes then turn over and bake for another 5-7 minutes until golden in colour with crisp edges but bread remains still chewy.
3Place a colander over a bowl and add the cut tomatoes then sprinkle with sea salt and gently toss with salad servers then set aside for 10 minutes allowing the tomatoes to release their juices in the bowl.
4Remove the colander filled with the cut tomatoes and set aside. Take the tomato juice captured in the bowl and add the minced garlic, thyme leaves, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar plus a pinch of black pepper and whisk to combine and set aside- this is your panzanella dressing.
5Gently pour your tomatoes into your preferred presentation bowl or platter, layer in the sliced red onion, shallots and two thirds of the basil leaves (torn). Next add your croutons. Then pour over the dressing mixture, gently mix all together and set aside for 10 minutes to infuse throughout the salad.
6Lastly, toss through the remaining basil leaves and add an extra dash of black cracked pepper. If using cheese, mix it through your salad now.
