Roasted fennel and sweet, red Anjou pears are combined to make this fall-inspired salad, which is loosely based on the Italian panzanella salad. Crunchy cubes of ciabatta bread, red-leaf lettuce, and kale, with a balsamic, cider vinaigrette brings all of the flavors together in this simple to prepare salad.
A panzanella salad is a Tuscan summer favorite. The salad is a mixture of vine-ripened tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and day-old bread, and is simply dressed with olive oil and vinegar. I came across some traditional panzanella recipes in which the stale bread is soaked in water. In another recipe, the bread soaks up the juices from the tomatoes, cucumbers, olive oil and vinegar. In case you were wondering, the word panzanella is a combination of two Italian words. Pan means bread, and zanella means a shallow bowl. Tuck that away in case you are engaged in some interesting, foodie table talk.
But it's not summer, and I still enjoy a good salad during autumn and winter. How about you? I thought I would combine some fall and Tuscan ingredients to create this leafy, rustic, everyday salad. This country-style salad is what casual food is all about to me - using seasonal, fresh ingredients, and a dish that's easy to prepare.
My daughter and I love to create and eat salads, and she is very good at making dressings and being my test taster. This past weekend, I decided that we would try out the recipe for this Fall Tuscan Panzanella Salad. Since I had planned on making an Italian inspired dinner for my family, I thought this salad would be perfect with the Tomato Pesto Grilled Chicken that I was going to make. I'll share that recipe another day.
For the salad, I combined roasted fennel, which has a mellow licorice flavor, and shallots, with red lettuce and kale, in-season Anjou pears, and a delicious dressing made from balsamic glaze, apple cider vinegar, and honey. I chose to use balsamic gaze rather than balsamic vinegar for its thick consistency, and mellow tang. Crusty chunks of bread give texture to this salad.
One pan makes for a quick clean up! Don't you love that?! And, you can make all the parts to this salad ahead of time and assemble later. Have the lettuce and kale washed and ready, roast the fennel and shallots, and toast the bread, and mix and keep the dressing in a small jar. It's that simple.
Using day-old bread makes this peasant-style salad economical. Your local grocery store probably has a shelf with baked goods leftover from the day before at a reduced price. These loaves of bread are still delicious, regardless of when they were baked.
I chose red leaf lettuce because of the color and its mild taste. I think the reddish hue tipped leaves are so pretty in fall salads. I added kale to give dimension in flavor, plus I like the contrast of the two leafy greens together. Some people are over kale, but I really enjoy the crisp, light, earthy taste it has, and it also holds up to salad dressings.
I added Pecorino Romano on the top. You could also add Pecorino Toscano. Both kinds of cheese are Tuscan. Gotta keep with my theme here. The Pecorino Romano has a salty and nutty flavor, which I love. I also scattered some of the fennel fronds on top. I like their lacy appearance and the slight anise flavor they add to the salad.
I happened to have this Italian ceramic shallow bowl that was perfect to serve this salad in. You could also use a platter or large serving bowl. You can easily double this recipe to serve a larger crowd. I hope you try this delicious Fall Tuscan Panzanella Salad.
Until next time, friends. XO!
Fall Tuscan Panzanella Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients
1/2 a bunch of red-leaf lettuce, torn
1/2 a bunch of curly kale, center stems removed, leaves chopped
1 fennel bulb, sliced about 1/4 inch thick, reserve fronds to use as garnish
1 large shallot, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
1 red pear, sliced
1 12 ounce, day old (preferred) loaf of ciabatta, or 4 to 5 ciabatta rolls
Pecorino Romano, or Pecorino Toscano cheese, shaved
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground, black pepper
Dressing:
1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil (preferably one with a light, fruity taste)
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Method
To make the dressing, add all the ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake until combined. Set aside. For the bread, cut the loaf or rolls, if using, into 1 inch thick cubes and set aside.
Pre-heat oven to 400°. Place sliced fennel and shallots on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with Kosher salt and black pepper. Place the sheet pan on the bottom of your oven and roast the fennel and shallots for 10 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and mix fennel and shallots. Add bread cubes to the pan, drizzle with olive oil, and Kosher salt. Place the sheet back on the lower rack in the oven for about another 10 minutes. Bread pieces should be lightly toasted. Afterward, remove pan and let cool a bit.
In a large shallow bowl, or platter, mix together red leaf lettuce and kale. Gently toss in cooled vegetables and bread crumbs. Place sliced pears on top. Garnish with Pecorino Roman and reserved fennel fronts.
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