Individual Panzanella (mediterranean Bread Salad)

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 250 g ciabatta (fresh or stale and toasted)
• 250 g cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium sized zucchini
• 1 medium sized aubergine (eggplant)
• 100 g corn kernels (canned is allright)
• 1 small red onion (coarsly chopped)
• 100 g cannellini beans (or kidney, canned)
• 125 g mozzarella cheese (buffalo, torn into bite size pieces)
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 2 -3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil (or 3-4 tb pumpkin seed oil)
• 3 -4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil (or a mix of fresh italian herbs)
• kosher salt and pepper
• shaves parmesan cheese (optional)

Recipe

• 1 cut zucchini and aubergine in rounds and place on baking tray lined with parchment paper or cookie sheet.
• 2 brush/drizzle with 1 tb olive oil and salt lightly.
• 3 bake in oven for about 15-20 minute until golden brown and crispy.
• 4 chop or tear ciabatta bread in bite size pieces.
• 5 transfer ready zucchini and aubergine slices to a bowl (you may want to cut aubergine rounds into halves or quarters, according to their size).
• 6 cut cherry tomatoes in halves.
• 7 toss zucchini, aubergines, onion slices, corn kernels, cannelinni beans (both corn and beans without liquid) and tomatoes in a large salad bowl.
• 8 add mozzarella chunks (smoked riccotta is delicious as well) and minced garlic. toss carefully.
• 9 add remaining 3 tb of olive oil (or pumpink seed oil) and balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. toss again carefully.
• 10 add (toasted) bread chunks and toss, see, that salad dressing and vegetable liquid is absorbed by the ciabatta chunks.
• 11 sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.
• 12 enjoy!