Salvatore Denaro makes a panzanella that's quite different from the typical summer bread salad served at other trattorias in Umbria. His zesty version includes southern Italian green olives, dried oregano and whole-grain barley rolls from Puglia called friselle. Any good, grainy, country-style loaf works nicely in this recipe; just make sure it's pane raffermo, what the Italians call bread that is "firmed up" and quite stale. More Bread Salads
How to Make It
In a large bowl, mix the water with 2 tablespoons of the vinegar. Swirl the bread cubes in the vinegar water, then drain the bread in a colander, gently squeezing out any excess moisture.
In a small bowl, mix the olive oil with the remaining 1 tablespoon of vinegar. In a large bowl, stir the cherry tomatoes with the celery, olives, onion, basil, mint and oregano. Gently fold in the bread. Add the dressing and toss well. Season with salt and pepper and serve.