Name: Italian Panzanella Bread Salad
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: Country style white bread, cut into 1 inch cubes - 8 ounces; Garlic flavored olive oil - 3 tablespoons; Coarse salt - ½ teaspoon; Garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained - 1 (15 ounce) can; Red or yellow teardrop tomatoes, halved - 2 cups; Chopped green bell pepper - ⅓ cup; Chopped red bell pepper - ⅓ cup; Red onion, cut into 3/4 inch slices - 1 small; Kalamata olives, pitted and halved - 10; Basil pesto - ⅓ cup; Balsamic Vinegar - ¼ cup; Minced fresh rosemary - 1 tablespoon; Black pepper - ¼ teaspoon; Crumbled goat cheese - 4 ounces; Green or red leaf lettuce - 1 head; Toasted pine nuts - ¼ cup

Ingredients for - Italian Panzanella Bread Salad

1. Country style white bread, cut into 1 inch cubes 8 ounces

2. Garlic flavored olive oil 3 tablespoons

3. Coarse salt ½ teaspoon

4. Garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained 1 (15 ounce) can

5. Red or yellow teardrop tomatoes, halved 2 cups

6. Chopped green bell pepper ⅓ cup

7. Chopped red bell pepper ⅓ cup

8. Red onion, cut into 3/4 inch slices 1 small

9. Kalamata olives, pitted and halved 10

10. Basil pesto ⅓ cup

11. Balsamic Vinegar ¼ cup

12. Minced fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon

13. Black pepper ¼ teaspoon

14. Crumbled goat cheese 4 ounces

15. Green or red leaf lettuce 1 head

16. Toasted pine nuts ¼ cup

How to cook deliciously - Italian Panzanella Bread Salad

1 . Stage

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2 . Stage

Toss the bread cubes with the olive oil to evenly coat. Sprinkle with salt, and toss again. Spread the cubed bread evenly over a baking sheet, and bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

3 . Stage

Toss together the garbanzo beans, tomatoes, peppers, onion, and kalamata olives in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the pesto, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, and pepper. Toss the tomatoes with the pesto mixture, and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

4 . Stage

To serve, toss the toasted bread cubes and goat cheese with the tomato mixture. Line a serving platter with a few lettuce leaves. Shred the remaining lettuce, and mound in the center of the platter. Spoon the bread mixture over the lettuce, and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.