Panzanella

Panzanella was born so as not to waste leftover bread and is made all over central Italy, Marche included. In summer, with ripe tomatoes, it is a fresh and tasty one-dish meal.

Ingredients for 4

• 300 g stale rustic bread, ideally unsalted
• 3 ripe tomatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 1 red onion
• A bunch of fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 5 tablespoons IL CONTE Raggia single variety
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Slice the onion thinly and leave it for 10 minutes in cold water with a dash of vinegar: it becomes milder.
2. Break the bread into pieces and wet it with cold water and the vinegar without soaking it too much; after a few minutes squeeze it well by hand and crumble it into a bowl.
3. Add the tomatoes and cucumber in small pieces, the drained onion and the basil torn by hand.
4. Season with salt, pepper and the oil, mix and leave in the fridge for at least half an hour before serving: the bread takes on all the flavour.

The right oil

Everything is raw and the oil both dresses and binds: the Raggia single variety gives aroma and character to the tomatoes and the bread.