Panzanella Salad

Originally invented by the Italians as a way to use up day-old bread, this salad is delicious no matter how old—or not—the bread is.

For the Croutons:

Vegetable oil, for the grates

1/2 small loaf (15-ounce) French or Italian country bread, sliced 1-inch thick

2 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Red Wine–Garlic Vinaigrette:

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

6 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Salad:

1 large tomato, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 small cucumber, halved, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup diced red bell peppers (1 large pepper)

1 cup diced yellow bell peppers (1 large pepper)

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions (1 small onion)

10 large basil leaves, sliced into thin strips

For the Croutons: Preheat a clean grill to medium-high with the lid closed for 8 to 10 minutes. Lightly brush the grates with oil.

Brush the bread with the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Grill on both sides until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and cut each slice into 1-inch cubes.

For the Red Wine–Garlic Vinaigrette: In a small bowl whisk together the garlic and vinegar. Slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream, whisking to emulsify. Season with the salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the Salad: In a large salad bowl, toss together the tomatoes, cucumbers, red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, onions, and basil. Add the croutons and the vinaigrette to taste. Toss gently. Set aside to allow the croutons to soak up the vinaigrette, 10 to 20 minutes before serving.

Serves 4 to 6.

Cooking Tip: A quick trick to cut basil into thin strips, also known as a chiffonade, is to place clean leaves in a pile, roll the leaves lengthwise like a cigarette, and thinly slice the roll crosswise.