salad known as panzanella), but I’ve never made one quite like
this. And every step here—from slowly toasting the bread in the
oven so it gets crisp through and through, to rubbing the bread
with raw garlic for punchy garlic flavor, to dressing the bread first
with a balsamic vinegar solution so that every piece gets an intense
hit of tang—adds up to a pretty incredible final result. With the
addition of the tuna, this is perfect for a picnic; take the tuna out
and you can serve this as a side for lots of dishes, including Bobby
Hellen’s Yogurt-Marinated Leg of Lamb.
1 or 2 day-old loaves Country Bread or ciabatta or another
Italian bread
2 cloves garlic
⅓ cup balsamic vinegar, plus more to taste
One 8-ounce jar tuna packed in olive oil, drained and flaked
into pieces
1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half vertically, or 3 large red
tomatoes cut into wedges
½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half vertically
¼ cup salt-packed capers, soaked in water and drained
¼ cup chopped parsley
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Slice the bread into 1-inch-thick slices and lay the slices on a
cookie sheet.