Panzanella with Burrata & Pine Nuts

Panzanella is an Italian tomato-bread salad typically served in Tuscany. It’s a great summer dish. I like using burrata for it but you can of course also use mozzarella, too. Ideally, you let the salad sit for about half an hour so all flavours blend well and the bread soaks up the vinaigrette.

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
Serves 2

• 400 g cherry tomatoes

• 1 cucumber

• 1 red onion

• 1 burrata

• 2-3 thick slices of bread (like ciabatta or sourdough)

• large handful of basil

• 4 tbsp roasted pine nuts

• olive oil

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1t tbsp brown sugar

For the Italian vinaigrette:

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 6 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 1.5 tsp salt

• 1.5 tsp honey

Method

1. To make the roasted bread cubes:

   Preheat oven to 180 °C. Cut 2-3 thick slices of bread into cubes and place in a medium-sized bowl.

   Add 2 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt. Toss well until the bread is evenly covered.

   Spread bread cubes on a baking tray and place on middle oven rack for 15 minutes until the bread has turned golden.

2. To make the caramelised onion:

   Slice 1 red onion into half-moons. To do so, you need to trim off the ends, then cut the onion into half through the root and then slice each half into half-moons.
   Bring a small frying pan to medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil and fry the onion until softened.

   Add 1 tbsp brown sugar and stir until the sugar has melted and the onion has caramelised. Set aside.

3. To roast the pine nuts:

   Heat a frying pan to medium-low heat and add 4 tbsp pine nuts. Keep them moving and take them out of the pan as soon as they turn golden brown. Set aside.

4. To prepare the dressing:

   Mix 3 tbsp olive oil, 6 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1.5 tsp salt, and 1.5 tsp honey until well combined.

5. Preparing the fresh ingredients:

   Wash, then cut 400 g cherry tomatoes into halves, cut 1 cucumber into smaller pieces, and chop a large handful of fresh basil. Add all to the salad bowl. Pull 1 ball of burrata into chunks and add to the salad, too.

6. Finally, add the caramelised onion, bread cubes, roasted pine nuts and dressing and toss well. Ideally, let the salad sit for about 30 minutes so the bread soaks up the vinaigrette and for all flavours to blend well.

7. Divide the Panzanella between two plates and garnish with some more basil and toasted pine nuts to serve.

Buon Appetito! (“Enjoy your meal” in Italian)

Let me know if you have made this recipe and leave your comments below. You can find the reel to this recipe on my Instagram page.