Winter Panzanella

Panzanella is a dish typically of the summer Tuscan cuisine, based on the concept of not wasting stale bread and making the most of fresh seasonal vegetables. A winter variant can include ingredients more suited to the cold weather, replacing tomatoes and cucumbers with other vegetables. Here is a winter version of panzanella:

Ingredients

• 200 g of stale bread
• 1 medium red onion
• 2 carrots
• 1 fennel
• 1 stalk of celery
• 50 g of pitted black olives
• Some salted capers (rinsed)
• Balsamic vinegar to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Aromatic herbs of choice (e.g., rosemary, thyme)

Preparation

1. Start by cutting the stale bread into cubes and place it in a bowl. If you prefer a softer texture, you can moisten it with a little water, or leave it dry for extra crunchiness.
2. Clean and thinly slice the onion, then soak it in cold water with a spoonful of vinegar to make it less pungent.
3. Also clean and chop the carrots, fennel, and celery into pieces or however you like.
4. Add the chopped vegetables to the bread, along with the black olives and capers.
5. Season with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Mix well and let it rest for at least 30 minutes, so that the flavors blend together and the bread absorbs the flavors of the dressing.
6. Before serving, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary and garnish with chopped fresh aromatic herbs.

Curiosity

Winter panzanella is a great example of how a dish can be adapted through the seasonality of ingredients. Moreover, this version can also be enriched with the addition of legumes, such as chickpeas or beans, for a higher protein content and an even more substantial meal.