Single Serving: Panzanella

This is definitely in my top 5 favorite go to recipes and it's a "Single Serving" tip. Bread is cheap and has lots of applications but it is also highly perishable. I know that artisan loaf or french baguette looks beautiful at the farmer's market but when you get it home, there are only so many sandwiches and pieces of toast one person can eat before it starts to dry out. This could be scaled down for one serving, but I usually find I have a lot of bread to work with. Bring some to work to share (along with some breath mints) and it's perfect to take to a summer party because it's fresh, light, and uses seasonal ingredients.

Ingredients
Stale bread- thick cut loaf or baguette
Garlic
Cucumber
Red onion
Tomatoes
Basil
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Slice or tear bread into bite size chunks. If the bread is still soft I like to toast the bread cubes. It's better to start out with dry bread because it will soak up liquid from the vegetables.

Slice the cucumbers, red onions, and tomatoes. Normally I try not to use too much liquid from tomatoes but in this case you want all of it. Add the vegetables to the bread. Add a drizzle of olive oil, vinegar, and plenty of salt and pepper.

Grate in some garlic, some chopped, fresh basil and cheese if desired. Ideally let this sit for at least an hour before eating so the flavors can marry. If you have it sitting around for a little and it gets too soggy, you can stick the whole thing under a broiler for a few minutes until the bread toasts up. I enjoy leftovers for breakfast the next day.