This is absolutely Italiano! Once started as a way to use leftover bread, it’s a glorious combination of tomatoes, basil, red onion, garlic, mozzarella, roasted red pepper and of course crusty bread that absorbs the goodness! This is a great one, take advantage of all of the fresh basil and tomatoes and whip up this summer classic!
Ingredients:
Serves 2 – 4
- 6 cups of bread, very crusty Italian or sourdough – cut into 1 inch cubes
- sprinkle of salt and pepper for bread
- drizzle of olive oil for bread
- 5 – 6 Roma tomatoes, cut into small pieces
- 1 tsp of kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 red bell pepper, small to medium sized
- half of a medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 12 – 14 large basil leaves, cut into thin strips (chiffonade is the fancy word for this)
- 1 cup of fresh mozzarella pearls or mozzarella cut into small pieces
Vinaigrette - 3 Tbs of red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tsp of Dijon mustard
- dash of kosher salt, or to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
Start by charring the red pepper, just place it in a heavy skillet over high heat and char on all sides, this will take about 15 – 20 minutes total. Then place it in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap for 15 – 20 minutes, then, just peel the skin right off and cut into thin strips.
Next, cut up the bread into cubes and place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake for about 15 minutes at 350° or until they are dried out and light golden brown.
Mix up the dressing in a small jar with a lid, just add in the vinegar, garlic, Dijon, salt and pepper, shake well, then add in the olive oil and shake again.
In a large bowl, add the tomatoes, onion, red pepper, basil, bread cubes and salt & pepper and pour over most of the dressing, give it a big toss, then add in the mozzarella and the remaining dressing. Now it just has to sit for about an hour at room temperature, so that the flavors mingle and the bread absorbs the goodness It’s worth the wait, you’ll love this salad! Perfect for a summer dinner with fresh fruit.
