PANZANELLA (ITALIAN BREAD SALAD)

Panzanella (Italian Bread Salad) image

Number Of Ingredients 14

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1 and 1/2 cups Rustic Bread (not baguette - too hard), cubed into bite-size pieces (she uses take and bake bread from grocery or large french bread)
3 tablespoons Fustini's Varietal Olive Oil (she likes Arbequina and Hojiblanca)
1/4 teaspoon Salt and Pepper (1/4 tsp each)
1 l Large Heirloom tomato
1/2 cup Cherry or grape tomatoes
1 bunch Fresh mozzarella balls, quartered
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
5 ounces Fresh baby arugula, spinach, or spring mix, chopped to bite-size
4 tablespoons Basil, chopped
1/4 cup Sliced red onion
2-1/2 tablespoons Fustini's Herbs of Naples balsamic vinegar (2 to 2-1/2 T)
5 tablespoons Fustini's olive oil (arbequina)
1 pinch salt and pepper (pinch of each)
1/2 teaspoon Italian herbs

Steps:

Whisk dressing ingredients together and set aside (herbs of naples balsamic, arbequina oil, s&p, italian herbs).
In a non-stick pan, heat the varietal olive oil, basil, and salt and pepper. Add bread cubes and toss until crisp . Want toasted crisp on outside, soft inside. (Can also do on a sheet pan and toast in the oven.) Let cool.
In a large mixing bowl, add tomatoes and season with kosher salt. add the cooled bread cubes, arugula, basil and onion.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly and serve (note: just need a small amount of dressing until it just coats).