Panzanella

Looking for a recipe to take advantage of the sun-ripened tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers now available at the Farmers Market? Try Panzanella, a Tuscan bread salad, which is easy to prepare and can be served as a light main course for lunch or dinner. Many recipes call for the bread cubes to be soaked in the dressing, however, I like my sourdough bread cubes to be lightly toasted to add crunch to the salad. In the photo you will see that I added some goat cheese (I had a little bit left from a previous dish) to the salad just before serving.

Ingredients:

4-5 medium heirloom tomatoes
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 English hothouse cucumber
1 small red onion
1 tsp drained capers
three slices of sourdough bread
Olive oil, balsamico, salt and pepper
fresh basil leaves to taste

• Cut tomatoes and peppers into chunks. Peel, quarter and seed cucumber. Cut into chunks as well.
• Dice enough red onion to make 4 tbsp.
• Mix vegetables and drained capers in salad bowl.
• Whisk together olive oil, balsamico, salt and freshly ground pepper, and pour over salad.
• Cut sourdough bread into cubes, place on a baking sheet and toast lightly at 350 degree Fahrenheit.
• Tear up basil leaves and gently fold with bread cubes into salad.

Serves 3-4 as a light meal.