Panzanella is just a fancy way of saying “stale bread salad” in Italian. When my grandmother had a bunch of stale bread hanging around and we were already up to our ears in bread crumbs, she used that bread to make a panzanella. You probably think you’re too good for stale bread and just toss it, or your spiritual guru says you’re gluten intolerant, or you swore off carbs so your beach pics will look hot on Instagram. Let me change your mind.
4 peaches, each sliced into eighths
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ loaf stale, toasted, or grilled Italian bread, cubed
1 shallot, minced
1 cup fresh basil, minced
1 bunch celery hearts, chopped
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
½ cup crumbled feta (vegan or dairy)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1. Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
2. Toss the peaches with the balsamic vinegar until coated. Place them flesh side down on the hot grill and cook for 3 minutes. Flip them over and cook for another 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, toss the peaches with the rest of the ingredients. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
4. Let it sit for 30 minutes so the flavors can get together, and then serve.