Panzanella

Gluten Free Foodie Tuesday Special!
Panzanella: Toasted Bread Salad with Local Cucumbers and Tomatoes

I love this salad! It is really easy to substitute a few ingredients to make this dish Gluten Free. I used Teddy's GF French Bread, it is delicious and locally made! I also sometimes like to use the onion raw instead of roasted. To see the video of the preparation go to our Boise Coop You Tube Channel.

1 small Candy Onion, sliced into ½-inch wedges---I used Rice Family Farms
2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp Water
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Loaf of Bread, best is a French Baguette or a Ciabatta
¼ cup Black Olive Tapenade
1 pint Cherry Tomatoes, cut in quarters---I used Rice Family Farms Sungold
½ Cucumber, seeded and cut into small dice
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp Basil Leaves, torn into small pieces

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking sheet. Toss the onion wedges with enough olive oil to coat them lightly and put them on the baking sheet. Drizzle balsamic vinegar and water. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes, or until nicely browned and tender. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, trim the ends of the bread. Trim as much of the crust as possible and cut into ½-inch cubes. Toss the bread with enough olive oil and tapenade to coat and put on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the bread is crispy and lightly brown. Toss the tomatoes and cucumbers with 1 Tbsp olive oil, and a good pinch salt and pepper. Add the onions and toss. Right before serving, add the bread and basil leaves.

--By Sylvie Ryan, Boise Co-op Culinary Educator