Cacio e Pepe Panzanella

Recipe by: Abby

The first time I decided to make panzanella, Ken was skeptical when I described it. After eating it - and renaming it "bread salad" - he's sold on the idea. Essentially he's right - it's seasoned croutons and a lot of summertime veggies... with added cheese, of course. This particular panzanella is heavily influenced by EmilyC's recipe on Food52, only I tweaked it to fit my taste a little more. Namely - double the amount of "dressing" because I like a bold and flavorful salad! It would be great with roasted squash, zucchini, or eggplant added as well, and if you wanted to add a protein I would go with crispy prosciutto. You can see how to make that in our Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sauce recipe.

If you have leftovers, I've found the best way to reheat is to store the croutons separate from everything else. Toss those in the oven until warm and recombine with the tomatoes, corn, and arugula after they've cooled. That way you don't lose the crispiness of the croutons and the flavor of the veggies has intensified even more by marinating in the dressing!

I urge you to give this tasty Tuscan inspired dish a try! It's quick & easy to come together and can be wonderful as a side dish or a main course.

xx, Abby

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