Italy is not devoid of summer treats, and while the first to appear is puntarella, a salad of very early greens of the same name, following behind is Pappa al Pomodoro and panzanella, a bread salad with those seasonally ripe tomatoes, stale bread, olive oil, a sprinkling of hand-torn basil leaves, and sometimes cucumbers.
This salad is found most often in the warm weather in the regions of Tuscany and Umbria, but may be found in other regions as well.
It’s a clever way to use bread that’s a bit dried out in the summer. As the dry bread soaks up the flavor seeping from the tomatoes, it combines with the oil and comes alive again.
The picture is from the version sold at Home Made by Marica in Aulla, Tuscany. It uses the three kinds of bread sold in the restaurant.