Panzanella

Another great recipe to add to your summer go to recipes. Easy, fresh and packed with flavor. Feel free to make additions or substitutions. (ex. capers, whole grain bread, red onions, etc) Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 small French bread or boule or 4 ciabatta rolls, cut into 1-inch cubes (5-6 cups)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 small vidalia onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
• • 2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes 
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and cut in half and sliced 1/2-inch thick
  • 20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped

For the vinaigrette:

• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/3-1/2 cup good olive oil
• Kosher salt freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions
Toss the bread in 3 TBS of extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and place on a large pan. Toss the bell pepper in 1 TBS of evoo, S&P and place on the pan. Toss the onion and garlic in 1 TBS of evoo S&P and place on the pan. (Do not mix the bread, peppers and onions together on the pan. Keep them all separate so that when each item is cooked you can easily remove them from the pan when each is finished cooking {Bread-5-8 mins; Onions 10-20 mins; Bell pepper-10-15 mins;])
For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together. (Remember to taste test for perfect seasoning!)
In a large bowl, mix the bread, tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, onion, and basil and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.