Tuscan Panzanella with Peak-Season Tomatoes, Basil and Torn Sourdough

Tear the bread into rough 1-inch chunks rather than cutting it, so the craggy torn edges soak up dressing while the smoother faces stay chewy.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 8 ounces day-old sourdough or country bread, crusts left on
• 2 1/2 pounds mixed ripe heirloom tomatoes, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, for the tomatoes
• 1 small red onion, halved and very thinly sliced
• 1 medium cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
• 1 large bunch fresh basil, leaves picked
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions

1. Tear the bread into rough 1-inch chunks rather than cutting it, so the craggy torn edges soak up dressing while the smoother faces stay chewy.
2. Spread the bread on a baking sheet and leave it out for 20 minutes to dry further, or toast it in a 350F oven for 6 to 8 minutes until dry to the touch but not browned.
3. Core the tomatoes and cut them into large irregular chunks over a bowl so you catch every drop of juice, then toss with the teaspoon of fine sea salt and set aside for 15 minutes to draw out the liquid.
4. Put the sliced red onion in a small bowl, cover with cold water and let stand for 10 minutes, then drain well; this takes the harsh bite out without cooking away the crunch.
5. Rub the cut garlic clove firmly over the inside of your serving bowl and discard it, leaving only its perfume behind.
6. Whisk the olive oil and red wine vinegar into the accumulated tomato juices, then taste and adjust with more vinegar if your tomatoes are especially sweet.
7. Add the bread to the bowl, pour over about two-thirds of the dressing and toss well, then let it sit for 10 minutes so the bread softens and swells.
8. Fold in the tomatoes, drained onion, cucumber and most of the basil leaves, add the remaining dressing and turn everything gently with your hands.
9. Let the finished salad rest for 20 minutes at room temperature before serving, never chilled, so the flavors settle and the bread finishes absorbing.
10. Scatter the reserved basil over the top, grind over black pepper, finish with flaky salt and serve straight from the bowl.
11. Panzanella began as cucina povera, a way for Tuscan farmhouses to rescue stale unsalted bread rather than waste it, and it still follows that logic: nothing in it is bought for the dish alone. It only works in a narrow window of the year, because the entire recipe is a delivery system for tomatoes so ripe they are almost too fragile to transport, which is precisely what a farmers market in August is full of. Salt the tomatoes first and never refrigerate them, and the salad makes its own dressing.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 428 kcal
• Protein: 8g
• Fat: 29g
• Carbohydrates: 38g
• Fiber: 5g
• Sugar: 10g
• Sodium: 760mg