Rustic Tomato and Bread Salad
This is a dish designed for the height of summer when tomatoes are heavy with juice. You are not just tossing ingredients; you are letting the bread act as a sponge for the vinegared juices.
The bread dictates the success.
Use a sourdough or rustic country loaf that is at least a day old. If the bread is soft and fresh, toast it lightly in the oven until dry to the touch.
- large mixing bowl
- chef's knife
- whisk
What goes in.
- 1 lbstale crusty bread, torn into 1-inch chunks
- 2 lbripe tomatoes, cut into irregular pieces
- 1large cucumber, sliced into half-moons
- 1/2red onion, sliced paper-thin
- 1/2 cupextra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbspred wine vinegar
- 1 bunchfresh basil, torn by hand
- to tastekosher salt and black pepper
Salt the tomatoes first
Toss the tomatoes with salt in the bowl and let them sit for ten minutes before adding the bread. This releases the juices, which become the base of your dressing.
The method.
Prep the tomatoes
Place the tomatoes in a large bowl, sprinkle generously with salt, and set aside until they release a shallow pool of liquid.
Build the dressing
Whisk the vinegar and olive oil directly into the bowl with the tomatoes and their juices.
Combine
Add the torn bread, cucumber, and red onion. Use your hands to toss everything thoroughly so every piece of bread is coated in the tomato-vinegar mixture.
Rest
Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. This allows the bread to soak up the dressing without dissolving.
Finish
Fold in the torn basil leaves just before serving so they stay bright and fragrant.
Other turns to take.
Mediterranean
Add brined capers and pitted kalamata olives for a sharper, saltier profile.
Protein-heavy
Fold in a ball of torn fresh mozzarella or a tin of oil-packed tuna.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Never refrigerate the tomatoes; cold temperatures ruin their texture and mute their flavor.
If the salad looks too dry after resting, add another splash of olive oil, not vinegar.
Tear the bread rather than cutting it with a knife to create uneven surfaces that grip the dressing better.
The ones that keep coming up.
How do I keep the bread from turning to mush?
The trick is to use truly stale bread and serve within an hour of mixing. If you prepare it too far in advance, the bread will absorb all the liquid and lose its structural integrity.
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