Panzanella Cake with Anchovies and Summer Vegetables

I can provide you with a recipe for a reimagined panzanella cake with anchovies and summer vegetables. Here’s a proposal that could delight the palate in summer, taking advantage of the freshness of the vegetables and the strong flavor of the anchovies. Note that this will be an original creation, based on Italian tradition, but with an innovative twist.

Ingredients

• 200 g of stale bread
• 100 ml of water
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 1 red pepper
• 1 small red onion
• 80 g of anchovies in oil
• A handful of fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Start by cutting the stale bread into pieces and soaking it in water for about 10 minutes, or until it softens. Squeeze the bread to remove excess water.

2. Wash and cut the tomatoes into cubes, the cucumber into thin half-moons, the pepper into thin strips, and the red onion into thin slices.

3. In a large bowl, combine the chopped vegetables, the soaked bread, the anchovies cut into small pieces, and a good amount of hand-torn basil leaves. Mix gently.

4. Season everything with red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix again carefully.

5. Transfer the mixture into a cake pan previously lined with parchment paper and press down lightly to compact.

6. Leave to rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving, to allow the flavors to meld together well.

7. Serve cold, cut into slices like a cake.

Trivia

Panzanella is a Tuscan dish known throughout the world, typically summery and refreshing. This cake version is ideal for a more structured variant suitable for enjoyable picnics or outdoor dinners.

Remember that cooking is creativity, so you can adjust the quantities and ingredients according to your tastes and the seasonal availability of vegetables.