The folks at Della Terra Italian bistro in Zelienople take their pasta very seriously, but their Panzanella Salad is just as essential to their traditional Italian menu as any bolognase or lasagna. It’s popular in Tuscany and other parts of central Italy, and traditionally features soaked stale bread, onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes, dressed with olive oil and vinegar.
At Della Terra, they look to local Beaver farms for tomatoes and fresh veggies to use in their summer salad. Just like their Aglio e Olio, it’s another classic, simple but fresh dish made with ingredients in season.
They change their menu monthly, but you may just catch their Panzanella Salad ready to be served. Della Terra is open for dine-in service, but feel free to check out their recipe below and try it out at home!
What if I Only Have Fresh Bread for a Panzanella Salad?
In case you’re really craving a Panzanella Salad but only have a fresh loaf available, it’s the crunch and density that matters. Toast your fresh bread before cutting it up into chunks to get the same sort of effect. You can also experiment with various bread types. For instance, a baguette is already going to be denser, and crusty so you do not have to toast it.
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Panzanella Salad
Description
Learn how to make this Della Terra menu staple right at home.
Ingredients
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 cucumber
- 1 large tomato
- 1 small onion
- Day old bread
- (Add any veggies you have on hand to enhance!)
Instructions
- Slice all vegetables in 1/2 inch pieces.
- Toss in a generous amount of salt and set aside for 3-4 hours.
- Cut bread into 1/2 inch pieces.
- Once vegetables have sat, drain them and keep the juice.
- Toss vegetables with bread and 1/4 cup of vegetable juice, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar.
- Season with pepper and more salt if needed.
Recipe by Della Terra
Photography by Michael Parente
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