Recipe: Panzanella

This is a lovely main course salad that can be served on its own or with a piece of grilled fish or chicken. The juices and flavoured oil that comes from cooking the peppers makes for a wonderful dressing. If you have the time then leave the finished salad to sit at room temperature for 30 mins so the flavours get a chance to develop.

Serves 2

1 ciabatta
1 red pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
½ cucumber, roughly chopped
3 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 small red onion, peeled and finely sliced
handful of stoned black olives – I use kalamata
1 bunch flat leafed parsley – stalks removed and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 – 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
salt and pepper

1.) Tear the ciabatta into smallish pieces, about 3cm cubes

2.) Place on a baking tray and put into the oven at 170C for 10 mins to crisp up

3.) Place the pepper on a baking tray, drizzle with the olive oil and roast in the oven at 200C for 15 mins until softened
 
4.) In a large salad bowl combine the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, olives and parsley

5.) Mix the garlic into the vinegar with a pinch of salt

6.) Toss the bread and the vinegar mix into the salad

7.) Add the pepper and the oil they have cooked in

8.) Mix well and serve