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Bread Salad, Italian (Panzanella) (P,TNT)
Source: From an article by Abby Mandel about Lorenza de Medici and her cooking school as recorded in Pleasures of Cooking Magazine
Serves: 8

8 slices dry Italian bread each about 1" thick (about 8 ounces total)
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 small red onion, peeled and halved
1/3 cup Nicoise olives (about 2 ounces), pitted
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves (about 1 ounce)
2 medium tomatoes (about 12 ounces) cored, peeled, cut crosswise in half and seeded
1 can tuna (6.5 ounces) in oil, drained
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper

Break bread into 3/4" pieces. Place in serving bowl and reserve.

Drop the garlic through the feed tube of a food processor with motor running and process until finely chopped, about 5 seconds. Add onion and pulse until finely chopped. Add olives and all but 4 of the basil leaves and pulse to chop coarsely 2-3 times.

Use the French fry cutter if you have that blade by placing the tomatoes cut side down (or julienne the tomatoes) and add to bowl with bread. Crumble tuna over the top.

Process the remaining ingredients for 5 seconds. Pour over salad mixture and toss well. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for at least 1 hour at room temperature. Toss again before serving and taste for seasoning. Garnish with the 4 reserved basil leaves. I often make this salad without the tuna and use more tomatoes.

Posted by Judith Sobel

Nutritional Info Per Serving: N/A