Recipe for Artichoke and Tomato Panzanella at Life's Ambrosia

September is here. This means a number of things to me: one, fall is just around the corner. Two, my first child will be born in approximately 2 1/2 months. And three, tomato season is almost over. While the first two make me a very happy lady, the last one makes me quite sad since tomatoes have been a part of my daily menu for the last month. To get the most out of what is left of tomato season, I’m making just about every recipe I can with them, including this panzanella salad.

I believe traditional panzanella has a bit more stuff in it and I originally wanted to throw some capers and red onion in but alas I was out of both of those. However, the marinated artichokes and perfectly sweet ripe tomatoes worked wonders together. Not to mention the sweet basil. And don’t worry about the lack of dressing, the juice from the tomatoes and the marinade from the artichokes make their own dressing as the salad sets.

Artichoke and Tomato Panzanella Recipe

Crunchy bread, tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts and basil.

Serves 4

Prep time: 40 min

Cook time: 05 min

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups diced (1 inch cubes) day old bread
3 tomatoes, seeds removed, diced
1 cup chopped marinated artichokes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
5 basil leaves, chopped
grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions:

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add bread and cook just until toasted, about 5 minutes.
In a bowl, combine bread and remaining ingredients. Mix well. Cover and let sit at room temp for 30 minutes.
Toss once more, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired and serve.

Enjoy!

Responses to "Artichoke and Tomato Panzanella"

“
Sounds like a nice quick and easy meal to make. I am tempted to give this a try :)
”

- Jerry Ko

“
I send you my best wishes as you anticipate the birth. Alas, we too will miss the tomatoes shortly. During the rest of the year I satisfy myself with the ones in the supermarket that are on the vine. They are a poor substitute for the real thing, but have some qualities that make them useful.
”

- StephenC