BOAST OF ROMAN FOOD TRADITION: PANZANELLA

Simple and fresh, Panzanella is a typical Roman dish loved and consumed for many centuries.

The panzanella is a humble dish, born from the recovery of stale bread, but which still delights our palates combining seasonal vegetables.  In fact this is one of the “classic” grandmother’s recipe, especially during summer season.

There are various versions of the origin of this dish: some believe that the origin of Panzanella should be traced back to the peasants’ habit of wetting dry bread and then seasoning it with the vegetables available in the garden. Others, however, think that the Panzanella was born on board fishing boats. In fact, it seems that the sailors used sea water to wet the stale bread and then consumed it together with vegetables and fish.

Ingredients

• stale bread
• onion
• basil
• cucumber
• tomato
• extra virgin olive oil
• vinegar
• salt

Method

This recipe is so simple to prepare as the “bruschetta“.

Take a slice of home-made stale bread and moisten with some water. Then open a fresh red tomato and rub it over the bread.
Once the juice is absorbed by the bread, cut the bread into small pieces.

Add some olive oil , salt and a few basil leaves.

Cut the tomatoes, cucumbers and onion in cubes. Combine all the ingredients in a salad bowl and season with salt and oil.

Enjoy your Panzanella romana with a glas of Vino Orcia Rosato Doc.