Italian Panzanella Salad Skewers

, from Issue #40. August, 2015
Photography by Aaron McLean.
Italian Panzanella Salad Skewers

Try this salad on a stick – a twist on serving a traditional Italian salad.

INGREDIENTS

1 loaf sourdough bread
olive oil
10 bocconcini in whey, drained
10 large basil leaves
10 cherry tomatoes
2 Lebanese cucumbers, thickly sliced

Dressing
½ cup olive oil
juice 1 large lemon
2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
1 tablespoon very finely chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

To assemble
10 x 15 cm knot top bamboo skewers

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180˚C.

Trim all the crust off the bread and discard. Break the bread into large bite-sized pieces and place on a baking tray. Drizzle generously with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss together then spread out in a single layer and bake for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp. Cool.

To assemble: Carefully wrap each bocconcini in a basil leaf and thread onto the skewer with the remaining ingredients. Place on a serving platter and spoon over a generous amount of dressing. Serve immediately. Makes 10 skewers

Cook's tip: I used large, cherry tomato-sized bocconini for these skewers. You need 10 for this recipe so if only larger sized bocconcini are available, use 5 and cut them in half then gently wrap in a basil leaf.