We have been busy at the farm lately! It has quickly become the time of year when we have so much food we can barley pick/sell/eat it all. Yesterday we loaded up the truck and our SUV with as much food as we could, drove to the Sonora farmers market and set everything up, and then Larry immediately went back to the farm to continue picking peaches and green beans while I stayed at market. We are also selling at the Twain Harte and Tuolumne farmers markets, and preserving our leftover food whenever we have time, often late into the night. Despite the crazy schedule, August is indisputably one of the best months on a farm. All of the long-awaited summer crops are super-abundant, constantly ripening and being picked and ripening more…We can’t help but eat well right now. One of the most popular things I’ve made lately is a panzanella, an Italian tomato and bread salad. It’s quick, a great use for both summer tomatoes and slightly stale bread, and the perfect lunch on a hot day. I’ve made a few versions for my family recently, but below is the recipe for what I took to the annual La Leche League picnic/potluck/parade at Pinecrest Lake, which was last week and lots of fun.
Summer Panzanella
1/2 loaf crusty kalamata olive bread; day old bread is actually better than fresh here
(or use regular french bread and add a handful of chopped kalamata olives)
approximately 3 lbs. perfectly ripe heirloom tomatoes (a variety of colors is nice)
1/2 bunch purple basil (green would be fine, too)
1/2 bunch chives
4-5 ounces good-quality mozzarella cheese
extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the bread into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces, place on a baking sheet, and drizzle evenly with olive oil (a couple of tablespoons). Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, toss to combine, and bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until toasted and golden brown. Let cool.
2. Trim any funny or unripe spots from the heirloom tomatoes, and cut into pieces about the same size as the crutons. Cut the mozzarella into similarly sized pieces. Place tomatoes and mozzarella in a large bowl.
3. Thinly slice the basil leaves and chives and add to the bowl. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and about 1/2 tsp. of salt (more or less to taste). Drizzle with a good amount of olive oil, about 2 T.
4. Toss the tomato mixture and let it marinate for 15-20 minutes. Right before serving, add the crutons and toss well. You want the bread to soak up some of the tomato juice, but if you let it sit too long it gets soggy before you eat it.
