As a sourdough obsessed bread baker, I never let any bread go to waste. When I found myself with some leftover sourdough focaccia, the idea for an Autumn Panzanella was born. It's really quite simple and takes advantage of all the great seasonal produce. Baby arugula, fresh figs, pistachios and freshly grated Parmesan all come together with an Apple Cider Maple dressing. See I do eat my greens from time to time, usually when there is a lot of bread involved too!
I hope you make this salad soon because figs will be out of season soon, but the nice thing about the salad is that you can substitute it with your favorite ingredients. If you can't find fresh figs, you can use dried ones or replace them with dates, apples or pears. The fruit adds sweetness and texture and balances out the bitter arugula and salty pistachios and Parmesan.
AUTUMN PANZANELLA SALAD
(serves 4-6)
INGREDIENTS
(SALAD)
4 cups stale bread, cut into roughly 3/4 inch cubes (I used focaccia but feel free to use any country style bread)
6 figs, stemmed and quartered
5 cups baby arugula
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup pistachios, lightly toasted and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
(APPLE CIDER MAPLE DRESSING)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon whole grain or dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
METHOD
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread the bread pieces over in an even layer. Drizzle with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt & pepper. Give the bread a toss to evenly coat each piece. Bake for 12-15 minutes until crisp and golden brown. While the bread is baking, make the dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk all the dressing ingredients together until combined. Transfer the dressing to a jar. To build the salad, place the toasted bread into a large serving bowl, followed by the arugula, figs, Parmesan and pistachios. Spoon half of the dressing over and toss to combine and coat each ingredient. Add more dressing to taste. Serve immediately.
TIPS
Store any unused dressing in a tightly lidded jar. Place in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Replace the figs with 1/2 cup of dried figs, dates, cranberries or 1 cup chopped apples or pears.
Add crispy pieces of bacon, pancetta or veggie bacon for a nice savory note.
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