Recipe: Panzanella salad

Serve with an unwooded white wine.

Great for summer entertaining

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp (5ml) salt
4 tbsp (60ml) olive oil
3 slices of day old ciabatta, cut into chunks
12 heirloom tomatoes
1 red onion, finely sliced
20 (½ cup) black olives
30g punnet fresh basil leaves
4 tbsp (60ml) olive oil
4 tbsp (60ml) lemon juice

Method:
Preheat the grill. Mix the garlic, salt and olive oil together. Toss the croutons with the garlic oil and place onto a baking tray. Grill until crisp and golden.

Slice the tomatoes and place in a large bowl. Add the onion, olives, basil and warm garlic croutons. Whisk the remaining olive oil and lemon juice together and drizzle over the salad.

Wine pairing:
Choose a unwooded white wine with crisp acidity – the acidity of the tomatoes will decrease the perceived acidity in the wine. Alternatively, opt for a light and  fruity red – acidity increases the perceived level of tannin in a red wine.

• Recipe supplied by Source Food – a Cape Town-based food agency that specializes in experiential marketing. They will create a recipe or meal to communicate your brand’s message.