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Whole Wheat Panzanella with Asparagus and Seafood Salad

17/11/2023

The Whole Wheat Panzanella with Asparagus and Seafood Salad is an original reinterpretation of the classic Tuscan dish. The addition of asparagus and a seafood salad brings a touch of freshness and flavors that evoke spring and summer. Here is how to prepare this dish.

Ingredients

For the Panzanella:

  • 200 g of stale whole wheat bread
  • 400 g of asparagus
  • 150 g of cherry tomatoes
  • 1 small red onion
  • Fresh basil to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • White wine vinegar to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the seafood salad:

  • 300 g of mixed seafood (octopus, cuttlefish, mussels, and shrimps)
  • Chopped parsley to taste
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Start with the preparation of the seafood salad. If you are using uncooked seafood, first clean them and boil them separately in salted water flavored with bay leaves and peppercorns (the octopus for about 40 minutes, cuttlefish and shrimps for 5 minutes, and mussels just until they open). Once cooked, cut the octopus into pieces and chop the cuttlefish if necessary.

  2. In a bowl, season the seafood with chopped parsley, crushed garlic, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix and let marinate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

  3. For the Panzanella, cut the bread into cubes and briefly moisten under running water. Squeeze to eliminate excess water.

  4. Clean the asparagus by removing the toughest part of the stem and cut into rounds, keeping the tips whole. Blanch them in boiling salted water for a few minutes; they should remain crisp. Then plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking process and retain their color.

  5. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, thinly slice the red onion, and tear the fresh basil with your hands.

  6. In a large bowl, combine all the Panzanella ingredients: bread, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, onion, and basil. Season with extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper and mix well.

  7. To serve, arrange the Panzanella on a plate and top with the well-drained seafood salad.

Note: To make the dish even more connected to Italian tradition, you might add Taggiasca olives or capers for an additional touch of Mediterranean flavor.

Curious Facts

Panzanella is a humble dish from the Tuscan peasant tradition and was originally prepared to prevent wasting stale bread. The addition of vegetables like tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers makes it an ideal treat for the warm periods, thanks to its lightness and freshness. With this variation, the presence of asparagus and the seafood salad brings a note of refinement and a connection with the flavors of the sea, for a dish that builds a bridge between land and water.

Whole Wheat Panzanella with Asparagus and Seafood Salad