Tomatoes are an excellent source of antioxidants including vitamins A and C, lutein, and lycopene. The carotenoid, lutein, which is found in abundance in tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, and egg yolks, may help promote cognitive function and prevent age-related macular degeneration and cataracts, and breast cancer.
This week’s recipe for Grilled Bread and Marinated Tomato Salad (Panzanella) makes delicious use of summer’s tomato bounty without bringing the heat into your kitchen. It was sent to CCSA as part of a series of emails from our resident chef, Dr. Linda Doody. She began sharing her extensive collection of favorite recipes with friends, family, and the CCSA team as a means of maintaining connections during the COVID-19 pandemic and it has since become a company tradition.
“If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him… the people who give you their food give you their heart.”
– Cesar Chavez
Grilled Bread and Marinated Tomato Salad (Panzanella)
Food and Wine Magazine, Ethan Stowell (July 2011)
Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- Salt
- 2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing bread
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 loaf country bread (12 ounces) sliced ½ inch thick
- 2 bunches arugula (6 ounces each), stems discarded
- 6 ounces ricotta salata, crumbled (1¼ cups) (Ricotta means re-cooked and salata means salted. Ricotta salata is an Italian cheese made from the whey part of sheep’s milk, which is pressed, salted, and aged for at least 90 days. It is milky white in color with a firm texture and salty taste; it is often used in salads)
Instructions
- On a cutting board, using the flat side of a chef’s knife, mash the garlic clove into a paste with a pinch of salt; transfer to a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, onion, vinegar, and ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Let the mixture stand at room temperature, stirring a few times, for at least 1 hour or up to 2 hours.
- Light a grill. Brush the bread with olive oil and grill over high heat until toasted and slightly charred in spots, 1 minute per side. Let cool slightly, then cut into ½-inch cubes.
- Add the bread and arugula to the tomatoes along with the ricotta salata and toss to combine. Serve immediately.