Panzanella (Bread Salad)

I came up with this little recipe years ago and I haven’t changed a thing over time.  If I recall correctly, it was a combination of a few different recipes for Panzanella that I found online.  I love the texture and flavor of the toasted rosemary bread coated lightly in the balsamic dressing, along with the light sweet pop of the tomatoes and smoothness of the fresh mozzarella.  This salad tastes like Summer and it’s one of the recipes that always comes to my mind as I am planting my basil in the Spring.  The colors are vibrant, and the earthy aroma of the basil and rosemary are out of this world.

Making this salad can be a bit of a challenge if there is a man around the house because for some reason, men are attracted to cubed cheese like bees love their honey.  I intentionally wait to cut the Mozzarella until the last minute, or my salad will be short quite a bit of the soft creamy cheese that makes it what it is.  I don't know what I will do when my son is big enough to join his father in the cheese thievery. I guess I might have to buy two balls of Mozzarella instead of one.

Ingredients & Instructions:

Salad

1 ½ C Fresh Mozzarella (diced)
6-10 Fresh Basil Leaves (julienned)
3 Roma Tomatoes (diced) or Heirlooms if you have them
10 Orange Grape Tomatoes (halved)
3-4 C Rosemary Olive Loaf (cubed) *

Dressing

6 Tbsp. Quality Balsamic Vinegar
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
½ Tsp Grey Poupon
2-3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Pinch Sugar
Salt & Pepper

Preheat Oven to 200 degrees.  Place cubed bread on a baking sheet and place in oven to toast for 20-30 minutes.  Bread should be toasty, but still soft.

Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing and set aside.  I like to let the dressing sit for at least an hour so that the flavors meld.

Place tomatoes, bread, Mozzarella, and basil leaves in a large salad bowl and lightly coat with the dressing by pouring small amounts of dressing in at a time, mixing, and repeating a few times.  You don’t want the bread to become completely coated or it will make for a soggy panzanella.  Serve Immediately.

* Rosemary Olive Bread is found in most grocery stores in the bakery section