Panzanella

• Dressing
• 1/4 c. red wine vinegar
• 3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Salad
• 1 loaf day-old crusty Italian or French bread
• 4 large ripe tomatoes
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size pieces (julienne)
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size pieces (julienne)
• 1/4 c. basil leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 c. Italian parsely leaves, coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsp. oregano leaves, coarsely chopped
• 12 c. pitted kalamata olives 1/2 c. feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 c. California raisins

Preparation

1 Dressing
2 Whisk the vinegar, oil and garlic together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
3 Salad
4 Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the bread into 3/4-inch cubes.
5 Place on baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes or until the croutons are hard and dry.
6 Remove from oven and set aside. Meanwhile cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise with the core and gently squeeze the juice into the reserved dressing.
7 Cut the tomatoes into 1-inch pieces and add them to a large mixing bowl.
8 Add the cucumber, onion, bell peppers, herbs and raisins.
9 Cover and set aside. (The salad may be prepared to this point up to 2 hours before serving.)

Source: Chef Roy Harland and California Raisin Marketing Board