This Panzanella is a rustic Italian salad that makes the most of ripe tomatoes and good bread – the toasted cubes soaking up a garlicky dressing until every bite is juicy and full of flavour. Children practise using a toaster safely, then use the bridge hold to chop tomatoes and cucumber before tossing everything together. And because it brings several food groups together on one plate, it's a ready-made way into the Eatwell Guide – spotting which groups are there, and thinking about what to serve alongside for a balanced meal.
Prep
15 min
Cook
5 min
Serves
2
Difficulty
Easy
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Ingredients
white bread 2 slice
garlic cloves 1 (halved)
tomatoes 2
cucumber ¼
fresh thyme 1 sprig (leaves picked)
fresh basil 1
olive oil 2 tbsp
red wine vinegar 2 tsp
Method
Toast the bread
Toast the bread carefully in the toaster until golden brown.
Cut the garlic clove in half (no need to peel) and rub the cut side of each half over the slices of toast.
Cut the toast into small squares, roughly 2cm in size and put in a bowl, there is no need to remove the crusts.
Prep the salad
Using a bridge hold, cut each tomato in half. Lay each flat half on the board again and cut each half into quarters.
Use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds and any juice into a bowl.
Cut each piece of tomato into even chunks and put them in the bowl with the seeds and juice.
Using a bridge hold, cut the cucumber in half down the length and use the teaspoon to scoop the seeds out and put them in the food waste.
Cut the halves of cucumber into thick sticks, then cut them into chunks, put them in the bowl with the tomatoes.
Pick the thymeleaves off the stalk and scatter them over the tomatoes and cucumber.
Pick the basil leaves off the stalk and tear them into small pieces over the tomatoes and cucumbers.
Assemble the salad
Pour the oil and red wine vinegar over the salad and add the cubes of toast.
Sprinkle over a pinch of salt and mix the salad together very well with a spoon or fork before dividing between plates or bowls.
