It’s Tomato Season!
I get so excited when tomatoes are in season in the 413! We have a huge amount in our garden and are lucky to have some amazing farm stores in Worthington, including Trip’s at Four Corners Farm and the Hilltown Mobile Market for when we run out. Every year, I make my favorite Tomato and White Bean Panzanella - it’s so fresh and delicious and super easy to whip up. Feed it to your family, bring it to a summer party, or keep it all for yourself - it’s loved by all.
Tomato and White Bean Panzanella from One Part Plant by Jessica Murnane
Ingredients
5 cups (half loaf, full loaf, whatever you have hanging around) sourdough bread (I like to use my own, but store-bought works beautifully too)
1/4 cup of cooking olive oil (like store brand or Filippo Berio)
1/4 cup of your good, salad dressing olive oil (like Lucini)
4 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 small red onion or shallot, finely chopped
1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 smashed garlic cloves
12 or more basil leaves, torn
3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar (ideally at least 7% acidity, like Filippo Berio)
Process
In a mixing bowl, toss the tomatoes, onion/shallot, beans, and garlic with the vinegar and a pinch of salt. Let it sit in your refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
While the tomato mixture is sitting, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper
Cut or tear the bread into cubes and toss in 1/4 cup cooking olive oil, some salt, pepper, and red paper flakes if you’re feeling crazy
Spread the bread over the baking sheet and bake for 12ish minutes - until the it looks toasted but is still soft in the center
After 30+ minutes, drain the juice from the tomato mixture by placing a colander over a small mixing bowl and transferring the tomato mixture into the colander. Let the colander sit over the small mixing bowl for a few minutes, until the vinegar/juices are fully drained
Remove the smashed garlic from the tomato mixture
Transfer the tomato mixture into a serving bowl and whisk 1/4 cup of good olive oil into the drained vinegar/juice
Add the toasted bread to the serving bowl, pour the dressing over the tomato mixture and toasted bread, and toss!
Serve with extra torn basil on the side. Sometimes, I’ll add feta and/or grilled chicken. But this is perfect without any extras!
Enjoy! Let me know if this becomes a fav for you too!
xoxo
Nicole
