Waste Not Stale Bread

One of the ways we can heighten our appreciation of the food God gives us is to avoid wastage. Here’s an Tuscan favourite for using up stale bread.

Panzanella

Ingredients:

• 2/3 loaf of day-old bread (Sourdough works best. More than one type is fine too. Just don’t use regular sliced bread)
• 500 g of mixed tomatoes
• 6 roasted & skinned capsicums (purchased from a deli)
• 1 red onion
• 1 celery heart
• Bunch of basil
• 12 anchovies (if fresh, use 6)
• 1 tablespoon of small capers
• 10 tsb of good olive oil
• 4-5 tsb of red wine vinegar
• 1 clove of garlic
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. Tear bread into bite-sized pieces. Set in a warm place to dry.
2. For the dressing: slice the tomatoes into bite sized pieces. Put in a collander or sieve with a bowl underneath to catch the juice. Add the anchovies and capers to bowl and set aside.
3. Finely dice the red onion and toss into the salad bowl. Peel back outer celery sticks until you see the white interor with yellow leaves. Strip off and keep the leaves and finely slice the sticks. Toss them with the onion.
4. Shred the capsicum finely and toss into the salad bowl.
5. Give the tomatoes a last squeeze over the bowl and toss them into the salad bowl. Remove anchovies from bowl and set aside.
6. Add 4 tsb of red wine vinegar and olive oil to the tomato juices. Whisk together and taste. Crush garlic into dressing, add salt, pepper and vinegar to taste.
7. Putting it altogether: Toss the bread into salad bowl. Add shreded basil leaves. Pour the dressing and throughly toss together.
8. Sprinkle over the top the yellow celery leaves, extra basil and anchovies. Leave to rest for at least 20 mins before serving.

This recipe featured in the March 2012 edition of the CathFamily e-Magazine.