Tuna Panzanella
By: Sheri Wetherell
Published: Friday, December 10, 2010 - 1:02am

Ingredients




8 ounces coarse-textured Italian bread, 4 or 5 days old
4 mediums -size ripe tomatoes, roughly diced
1 medium -size red onion, minced
12 lrg fresh basil, leaves, shredded
12 pitted black olives, halved lengthwise
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
 cup good olive oil
3 garlic, clove, finely, chopped
1 salt and freshly ground pepper
1 7 oz can oil-packed Italian tuna, drained and broken into chunks

Preparation

1 Remove crusts from bread and break into pieces. Place bread in large bowl, cover with cold water and soak for 2 to 3 minutes or until softened. Drain and squeeze the bread dry, making sure to remove the water completely. 2 Place the bread in a large bowl and break it up into small pieces with your hands. Add the tomatoes, onion, basil, olives and tuna. 3 In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, garlic, and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste (remember the olives are salty!) 4 Gently toss the dressing with the salad. Serve immediately. 5 The idea of using stale bread in a salad may not sound appealing, but trust us. This salad is divine. Everything can be prepared in advance, but toss it with the vinaigrette just before serving.