Caesar Panzanella

30 mins Prep Time

25 mins Cook Time

Written By

Vicky Tran

Is it a crouton enthusiastic Caesar salad or a panzanella with romaine lettuce and Caesar salad dressing? This very conundrum keeps me up at night because the truth is that it is almost equal parts both. This hybrid salad is a mash-up of my two favourite salads: classic Caesar salad and panzanella. Essentially it's a very crouton dominated Caesar salad (as all Caesar salads should be), but what gives me the confidence to refer to it as a panzanella is the fact that that the croutons are the star and the addition of the Kumato tomatoes (a tomato cultivar originating from Spain that is darker in colour, sweeter in flavour and firmer in texture than regular tomatoes) which is very common in panzanella and almost required for fact that its sweet juice is an essential part of panzanella construction. I'm a fan of panzanella all year round as it plays right into my love of bread in all its forms but also feeds my need for the crispy-gone-soggy-texture. Think freshly fried wings immediately tossed in sauce, or crispy frites that have just been doused in poutine gravy. Scratch-made Caesar dressing that is unapologetically spiked with garlic, lemon and anchovy are so vital when trying to elevate this otherwise everyday salad.

Ingredients

Caesar Panzanella

2 romaine hearts, leaves separated
2 Kumato tomatoes, sliced
4 cups sourdough bread, hand torn into large bite size pieces
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Dressing

2 egg yolks
4 anchovy fillets
1 garlic clove, finely minced (grated on a microplane if possible)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions

Caesar Panzanella

5 Steps

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Step 2

Toss the sourdough bread pieces with the olive oil, kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Bake in the oven on a baking sheet in a single layer for 20-25 minutes or until the croutons are crispy and golden brown.
Step 3

While the croutons are baking, prepare the Caesar dressing: Finely chop the anchovy fillets then using the flat side of the knife mash it into a paste like consistency. In a small mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, anchovy paste, minced garlic clove, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, grated parmigiana and fresh cracked black pepper, whisk until combined. Continue whisking while slowly streaming in the vegetable oil until the entire dressing is fully emulsified, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and set aside.
Step 4

Once the croutons come out of the oven, allow them to cool completely before assembling.
Step 5

To assemble the salad, toss the romaine hearts, croutons, and sliced kumatos with half of the dressing. Transfer to a plate and top with the shaved parmigiano reggiano, as well as fresh cracked black pepper and serve alongside the remaining dressing to spoon on as desired.