Panzanella Salad

Ingredients

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 small baguette cut into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large, ripe tomatoes, whatever kind you prefer 
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons capers, drained (optional - disregard if you are not a caper fan)

For the vinaigrette:

1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar (white wine vinegar works fine if you cannot find champagne vinegar)
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

How to Make Panzanella Salad 

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.

To make the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together. 

In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers.

Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

Note for leftovers: If you know you will not be eating the salad all at once, keep the bread cubes and vinaigrette separate. This will prevent the bread from getting soggy. 

Enjoy!!!