Panzanella di Pane Vallemaggia | Ticino Gourmet Tour | RSI Food

extra virgin olive oil

🥗Healthier: light olive oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Light olive oil has fewer calories while canola oil is more budget-friendly.

balsamic vinegar

🥗Healthier: red wine vinegar

💰Cheaper: apple cider vinegar

Red wine vinegar offers a similar tang, while apple cider vinegar is often less expensive.

fresh herbs

🥗Healthier: dried herbs

💰Cheaper: no herbs

Dried herbs provide flavor at a lower cost, while omitting herbs saves money.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast offers a cheesy flavor with fewer calories, while pecorino is often less costly.

Prepare the essence of tomato by placing the tomato juice, 3 quartered tomatoes, the zest of 1 lemon, 15 basil leaves, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for about 40 minutes, then blend lightly and strain through a fine mesh with a cloth. Let the essence cool.

For the balsamic pickled shallots, place the halved shallot in a saucepan with balsamic vinegar, water, bay leaf, cloves, juniper berries, 35g of salt, and 80g of sugar. Bring to a boil and cook for 45 minutes until the liquid thickens slightly, then let it cool.

Cut the Pane Vallemaggia into cubes and dry it in the oven at 180°C for about 5-8 minutes.

Dice the tomatoes, removing the seeds, and do the same with the cucumber after peeling it.

In a bowl, combine the dried bread with red wine vinegar, add the diced tomatoes and cucumber, and tear the basil leaves into the salad. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper. Let everything marinate well for a while.

Serve in a deep plate, preferably cold, placing the bread salad in the dish, adding the cold tomato essence underneath, and topping with the balsamic pickled shallots and fresh basil leaves.

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens