The Week of Tomatoes, Part 2.

panzella
source: the kitchn (http://www.thekitchn.com/weeknight-recipe-panzanella-61062)
serves 8 – 10 (easily modified to serve 1)

panzella, or bread salad, screams summer.  the day-old bread makes this salad not only rustic, but also more filling than your basic lettuce salad.  traditionally it is just made with bread, tomatoes, onion, and a simple vinaigrette, but the recipe i worked from included red onions (tip: soak red onions in ice water for ten minutes to get rid of the pungent bite typical of red onions), bell pepper, cucumber, capers, and feta cheese. i’m sure a traditional panzella salad is delicious, but this modified version was full of flavor from the salty bite of the capers and feta cheese, the fresh, crisp flavor of the cucumbers and bell pepper, the hint of sweetness from the tomato, and the tender, vinagrette-soaked bread.  make sure to let the panzella sit for half an hour before eating – it makes all the difference. all of the flavors mingle, and the crusty bread turns soft as it absorbs the vinaigrette and the juice from the tomato.