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Panzanella

Panzanella

Large and colourful heirloom tomatoes are the key to this dish – organic ones, for that beautiful sweet flavour. 

Panzanella is a perfect way to celebrate the vibrant flavours of summer, and when made with heirloom tomatoes, it’s a total showstopper. These beautiful tomatoes, with their unique colours and rich taste, elevate this classic Italian bread salad to new heights. Tossed with crusty bread, fresh basil, and a simple vinaigrette, heirloom tomato panzanella is a delightful mix of textures and flavours—perfect for a casual lunch or a light dinner on warm days. Get ready to make the most of your garden or farmers’ market haul with this refreshing, rustic dish!

Ingredients

4 large heirloom tomatoes, about 1 kg in total, cut into 1 cm thick slices
100g assorted baby tomatoes, cut in half
4 mini capsicums (bell peppers), about 180g in total, cut lengthways into quarters
8 baby cucumbers, sliced in half lengthways
½ red onion, thinly sliced
3 slices multigrain sourdough, about 200g, cut into 2cm chunks and toasted
40g pitted kalamata olives, sliced in half
7 caper berries, sliced in half lengthways
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
olive oil, for drizzling

Basil emulsion

1 garlic clove, crushed
large handful of basil leaves, torn
80ml olive oil

Method

Arrange all the salad vegetables, sourdough chunks, olives and caper berries on a platter.

Place the basil emulsion ingredients in a blender and pulse until you have a smooth sauce. Drizzle the basil emulsion over the salad.

Sprinkle with the vinegar and a little more olive oil and season to taste.

Serve the panzanella immediately.

The Vegetable – Recipes that celebrate nature

Edited extract from The Vegetable by Vicki Valsamis and Caroline Griffiths. Published by Smith Street Books.