Perfect Panzanella

Featuring the jewels of high summer (and the secret to ecstatic croutons)

Some people inhale cartons of ice cream while standing over their kitchen counters.

This panzanella was that for me.

There’s something alchemical about the combination of sweet peaches, juicy heirloom tomatoes, fragrant basil, creamy burrata — and most importantly, the bread.

Oh, how we love a bread salad. What could be better?

First you need to understand how to make the perfect crouton. Starting with a very good, crusty loaf. I like sourdough! This one was half wheat.

Cube it into a bowl, and then add a lot of olive oil.

Way more than you think. It may feel unreasonable. I can assure you, it’s not. You want the bread to be soaked, drenched in it.

Then a good amount of salt. Bake until golden. That’s it! So simple and perfect.

The other important things (peaches, tomatoes) will all be perfect because it’s the middle of summer and that is the beauty of mother nature.

Also, let me share with you how to make the perfect, simple vinaigrette. Never buy store-bought again!

Take a jar, add a dollop of Dijon and a finely diced shallot. Next a bit of sherry vinegar and red wine vinegar. Equal parts of each, not too much. (I like the way these flavors balance, but you could use just one kind if it’s all you have.) Then you’re going to more than double the amount of vinegar with olive oil. Big pinch of kosher salt.

Give it a taste! If it has too much bite, add more olive oil. If the flavor feels lacking in any way, add more salt.

If you’re still unsure, I like to take a piece of lettuce and dunk it in (in this case, try a tomato).

Oh! For the tomatoes, I like a mix of big heirlooms and cherry. But use what you have.

I like to add the big tomatoes first, with a little pre-game seasoning: a drizzle of good finishing olive oil (my go-to, thrilled to have found at Costco recently!) and Maldon sea salt, a few cracks of black pepper. Next add your peach slices, cherry tomatoes, croutons. A generous spooning of vinaigrette. And lastly a few tears of burrata, leaves of fresh basil. If you happen to have basil blossoms growing, lucky you! More beauty for the plate, as if we needed it.

As always, more finishing olive oil and Maldon across the top. I especially like when the olive oil pools over the cheese.

Assemble, devour, bask in the abundance.

x Sarah