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In Italy, summer produce and stale bread are combined to make panzanella, and no two ingredients capture the flavors of the season quite like tomatoes and corn. This vibrant, panzanella-inspired salad includes both, along with toasted hunks of crusty white bread, fresh mozzarella, peppery arugula and sliced onion.
In this recipe from our cookbook “ Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year,” we briefly marinate tomato wedges and onion slices in a punchy vinaigrette before tossing with sweet corn, leafy greens, fresh basil, cheese and bread.
Stale bread is traditional in panzanella; since most of us don’t have that on hand, we toast cubed pieces of a crusty, rustic loaf until golden brown to give it a crisp-chewy texture that won’t turn soggy when soaked with the salad’s dressing and juices.
Be sure to use fresh, water-packed mozzarella for this salad, not the pre-shredded cheese that comes in a bag. You can find it sold in orbs of different sizes; smallish bocconcini and even smaller ciliegine are great for this salad because they’re easily torn into bite-size pieces.
Crisp, juicy kernels cut from ears of peak-season corn are, of course, ideal, but frozen corn that has been thawed and patted dry is fine in a pinch. Finish the salad with hand-torn basil or, for a refreshing summery twist, fresh mint.
Tomato, Arugula and Bread Salad with Fresh Corn and Mozzarella
Start to finish: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients
6 ounces crusty white bread, sliced ½-inch thick and torn into bite-size pieces (about 6 cups)
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar OR sherry vinegar
1 pound ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into ½-inch-thick wedges
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1½ cups corn kernels (from 2 ears corn)
2 cups lightly packed baby arugula OR watercress OR mixed greens
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese (see headnote), torn into bite-size pieces
½ cup lightly packed fresh basil OR mint, torn
Directions
Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle position. In a large bowl, toss the bread with 3 tablespoons of oil, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Distribute in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; reserve the bowl. Bake for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in the same bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, the vinegar and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and onion, then toss; set aside.
After the bread has toasted for 5 minutes, add the corn to the baking sheet and stir to combine. Bake until the croutons are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring once about halfway through. Cool to room temperature. To the tomato-onion mixture, add the bread-corn mixture, the arugula, mozzarella and basil, then toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl.
EDITOR’S NOTE: For more recipes, go to Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street at 177milkstreet.com/ap
