Chef Dara Klein, the culinary force behind London's Tiella trattoria, has shared her recipe for panzanella, a classic Italian dish that transforms stale bread into a rustic summer salad. The recipe appears in her new cookbook, La Trattoria.
“It likely originated as a very simple bread and onion salad, evolving into the dish we know today after tomatoes were introduced to Italy from the Americas in the 16th century,” Klein said. “The Renaissance poet Giovanni Boccaccio was one of the first to mention this Tuscan bread salad, calling it panmollo or ‘wet bread’, and the Florentine painter and poet Agnolo Bronzino described a version made with onions, cucumbers and purslane in one of his poems.”
Klein’s Favourite Warm-Weather Dish
“This recipe is based on the panzanella at Tiella,” Klein said. “It’s one of my favourite things to eat throughout the warmer months. I like to use stale sourdough or focaccia as they both hold up well against the marinade and don’t get too soggy.”
The dish serves four and requires a large pepper, 200g of slightly stale bread (preferably sourdough, ciabatta or focaccia), 480g of ripe tomatoes (a mix of varieties and sizes is recommended), 180g of cucumber, 65g of red onion, 60g of black or purple olives, three tablespoons of red wine vinegar, one tablespoon of capers, one teaspoon of lemon juice, one small bunch of basil, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt.
Step-by-Step Method for Panzanella
To begin, preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas mark six). Place the pepper on a baking tray lined with baking paper, drizzle with olive oil and lightly season with salt. Roast for 40 minutes, turning halfway through, until the skin is slightly charred. Remove from the oven, transfer to a heatproof bowl and cover with cling film.
For the croutons, cut the bread into 3 x 4cm chunks. Season with a three-finger pinch of salt and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil. Massage the oil into the bread with your hands, then spread the chunks on a lined baking tray and bake for around 15 minutes, or until golden, rotating halfway through. Set aside to cool.
Wash and dry the tomatoes. Remove any stems, then cut into different-sized chunks. Place them in a large bowl and season with a five-finger pinch of salt. Wet your hands with cold water and flick a few drops of water on top of the tomatoes, then squish them down slightly with your hands. Leave them to sit for 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
Wash and peel the cucumber. Cut in half lengthways, remove the seeds and then cut into thin slices on an angle. Finely slice the onion and soak in cold water to remove any sharpness. Destone the olives and tear them in half.
Once the pepper has cooled, remove the skin, stem and seeds, discarding any liquid released while cooling. Slice into thin strips.
Add the croutons to the tomatoes, making sure they soak up all the juices. If the croutons appear too dry, add one or two tablespoons of cold water. Add three tablespoons of olive oil, the vinegar, olives, capers, lemon juice and a large pinch of salt. Drain the onions and add them to the bowl along with the sliced pepper. Toss the mixture together with your hands. Taste and adjust with more salt, vinegar or lemon juice if needed.
Once the salad is perfectly seasoned, stir through the basil leaves. Serve immediately. The dish is excellent on its own or served alongside fresh mozzarella.
