Tomato and Burrata Panzanella

Post and images by guest blogger, Rebecca White, of A Pleasant Little Kitchen. 

Visit her full blog or find out more about her here. 

Summer salads seem to be a way of life during the hot season-- which in Texas tends to be July, August and September.

I love the freshness and ease of veggies chopped and tossed in the most basic of dressings: olive oil and vinegar. However, some days I want more than just veggies in my salad and on those days I'm thankful I know the joys of panzanella -- Italian bread salad.

If you're thinking crouton let me redirect your mind. I'm talking bite-sized crusty Italian bread tossed with a variety of ingredients or flavors.

The bread is the star of the panzanella show and the veggies are just the extras.

Recently, I was inspired to whip a summer bread salad when passing through the bakery at Market Street. The friendly bakers were busy arranging freshly baked loaves and the temptation was too great.

I was torn between the sourdough and the organic Italian loaf, so the natural solution was to grab both. And conveniently located right below the loaves of freshly baked bread was a variety of exceptional olive oils and vinegars, perfect for my highly anticipated dinner salad.

At this moment I instantly knew I needed mozzarella, tomatoes and basil to finish of the panzanella so off I went to grab some ciliegene (small mozzarella balls) from the glorious cheese haven at Market Street.

Hold up. Change of plans.

As I was reaching for the fresh mozzarella I paused. There it was, an ample supply of burrata. How in the world have I missed this delicious extravagant cheese with all my trips to Market Street's cheese department?

Burrata would be the cherry on top of this dish, because burrata is cheese heaven.

Let me explain.

Burrata is fresh mozzarella with a surprise inside---cream and more cheese. When sliced in half there is a cheesy buttery goodness that flows from the burrata ball.

It's perfect on pizza and all sorts of pasta… and in that instant I knew it was going to be even better in my panzanella come dinner time.

I couldn't think of a more perfect salad to add to my list of summer no cook meals-- toasted crusty Italian bread, covered in red wine vinegar and then tossed with tomatoes, burrata, basil and olive oil.

Summer salad at its finest.

Tomato and Burrata Panzanella

Ingredients

4 cups Italian bread, crust removed and cubed

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 cups seeded and diced tomatoes

20 basil leaves, chopped

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

4 2-ounce burrata balls, quartered

 
Instructions

1. Turn the broiler on to 500 degrees.

2. Place the cubed bread on a rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. Broil for 1 minute. Remove and stir the bread to prevent burning. Place back into the oven and broil for 1 minute.

3. Place the toasted bread into a bowl. Evenly coat the bread with the vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes.

4. Add the tomatoes and basil leaves to the bread. Toss with the olive oil.

5. Evenly sprinkle the kosher salt on top of the salad. Toss well to make sure the salt is distrusted evenly.

6. Add the burrata to the salad and stir.

7. Serve immediately.