Aug 13 2015
This is a good dish to use up those garden tomatoes and bread; I had both. I adapted a recipe from Giada of Food Network and had it made up at 3:00 to set until supper time at 6:00. I cooked the tomatoes and pepper strips on my Traeger and toasted the bread on my Weber Spirit.
I had two hamburger buns to use so told the wife I would do some toasted cheese sandwiches to go with the tomatoes. I sliced the tops off the buns, added two slices of baby Swiss cheese, sprayed with some olive oil and toasted them on my weber. I got them a little over-toasted!
My over-toasted cheese wasn’t too bad and the panzanella was delicious!
Smokin Don
Recipe:
Panzanella
Recipe Adapted from Giada
Ingredients
1/4 cup drained capers
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
12 ounces ciabatta or other country-style white bread, 2 to3 days old
2 tablespoons plus 2/3 cup olive oil
9 ripe tomatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds total), cored and scored on the bottom
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
Bell pepper strips, about 2 total assorted colors
Fresh basil sprigs, for garnish
Prep the tomatoes and peppers. I did mine in the Traeger at about 325 deg. grill level for 50 minutes. When the tomatoes were cool enough I removed the skins and cut up. I set the pepper strips aside.
While the tomatoes were cooking; I sprayed the bread with some olive oil and toasted on my Weber Spirit.
Mix the red wine vinegar, olive oil, chopped garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Cut up the toasted bread. Add all to the bowl of dressing except the pepper strips and capers, mix all to coat well with the dressing.
Pour half into a casserole dish then add half the pepper strips and capers, repeat with the other half.
Cover the dish and let set at room temperature at least an hour before serving.
Note I use extra light olive oil but if you like use extra virgin.
