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Dinner Tonight: Summer Panzanella

Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, August 29, 2008 at 4:30 PM

With a concept as simple as bread and tomatoes, a recipe seems almost worthless. But this one from Saveur stands out, if only for the garlic-infused bread. It's not an overwhelming stale garlic bread flavor—just a hint that perfumes this dish. Combine with great tomatoes and you really don't need much else in the world.

Real summer tomatoes are the heart and soul of this dish, so don't mess with supermarket ones. They'll just get neglected in the bowl. My one recommendation is to make far more than you think you'll need. The wife and I could have easily doubled this and eaten nothing else for dinner. Embrace this summer dish. 'Tis the season.

About the author: Nick Kindelsperger is a co-founder of The Paupered Chef, a blog dedicated to saving time and money while enjoying food in every way possible. He sells wine for a living and lives in Columbus, Ohio.

Summer Panzanella

- serves 2 -

Adapted from Saveur.

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 of a baguette, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 pounds tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Handful of basil, chopped
Salt and pepper

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven the 350°F. Melt the butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Pour in half of the olive oil, and let it warm for a minute. Turn off the heat, add the garlic and bread cubes. Toss until combined. Then place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes, tossing the cubes every 5 minutes or so.

2. Combine the chopped tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and the other half of the oil. Stir until combined.

3. Add the bread to the bowl, sprinkle with the basil, and season with salt and pepper.

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Tags: baguette, bread salads, late summer dishes, panzanella, salads, tomatoes

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