In Italy, summer produce and stale bread are combined to make panzanella, and no two ingredients capture the flavors of the season quite like tomatoes and corn. This vibrant, panzanella-inspired salad includes both, along with toasted hunks of crusty white bread, fresh mozzarella, peppery arugula and sliced onion.
In this recipe from our cookbook “Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year,” we briefly marinate tomato wedges and onion slices in a punchy vinaigrette before tossing with sweet corn, leafy greens, fresh basil, cheese and bread.
Stale bread is traditional in panzanella; since most of us don’t have that on hand, we toast cubed pieces of a crusty, rustic loaf until golden brown to give it a crisp-chewy texture that won’t turn soggy when soaked with the salad’s dressing and juices.
Be sure to use fresh, water-packed mozzarella for this salad, not the shredded cheese that comes in a bag. You can find it sold in orbs of different sizes; smallish bocconcini and even smaller ciliegine are great for this salad because they’re easily torn into bite-size pieces.
Crisp, juicy kernels cut from ears of peak-season corn are, of course, ideal, but frozen corn that has been thawed and patted dry is fine in a pinch. Finish the salad with hand-torn basil or, for a refreshing summery twist, fresh mint.