Day old bread and soft tomatoes get a new delicious life and make for a great make-ahead dish. Another variation of Insalata di Pane, a venerable Italian classic.
Servings: 4
Time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 cups (300 g) day old Italian bread cubes about 1 inch (2,5 cm) in size
- 1/2 lb (225 g) green beans, trimmed and cut in half if too long
- 2 cups (280 g) multi-color cherry tomatoes, cut into halves lengthwise
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
- 2 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar or to taste
- juice of 1 dewaxed organic lemon + zest
- 1 cup (120 g) fresh mozzarella cubes, about 1 inch (2,5 cm) in size
- 4 Tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation:
Preheat oven at 450° F/230° C.
Place oven rack in the center. Toss green beans with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread beans on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast beans for about 10 minutes or until “al dente”, turning beans at mid time. Beans should look a bit shriveled and have some brown spots. Remove beans from the oven and place them in a bowl. Sprinkle them with the lemon zest and toss. Keep the lined baking sheet for roasting the bread.
Place cherry tomatoes in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt to taste and let them sit to gather juices while you prepare the other items. Reduce oven temperature to 400° F/200° C. Mix bread cubes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss well making sure that bread is well oiled. Spread bread on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Toast turning cubes on the opposite side at mid-term. Roast for about 10 minutes or until bread is golden brown.
Whisk remaining olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Combine bread cubes, roasted garlic cloves, green beans, mozzarella, tomatoes and their juices in a bowl. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Toss everything well. Let salad sit for at least 30 minutes. Bread should be softened and tomatoes juicy. If necessary add more vinaigrette before serving.
