Tomato Bread Salad
Instructions:
- This Italian salad of tomatoes and cubed bread is a hearty side, good for summer barbecues and winter roasts. Makes 6 servings
- 4 cups cubed day-old baguette, crunchy French bread, or any crusty bread (about 1-inch cubes), toasted
- 11⁄2 pounds medium tomatoes, cut into eighths
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, seeded, and diced
- 1 small red onion, fi nely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 11⁄2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, preferably sea salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1⁄4 cup olive oil, preferably extra virgin olive oil
- Mix the bread, tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion in a large serving bowl.
- Whisk the garlic, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl; whisk in the olive oil.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables and bread, toss well, and serve at once.
- Variations:
- Substitute 1 ⁄2 pound trimmed green beans, blanched, or 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed, for the cucumber.
- Add 1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1-inch cubes, with the bread.
- Add 2 or 3 chopped anchovy fi llets with the bread.
- Add 1 tablespoon chopped oregano leaves or chopped parsley leaves with the bread.
- Substitute balsamic vinegar for the red wine vinegar.
- Serve with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top