Salads don’t have to be sad and they don’t have to be overly healthy. In fact, one of Italy’s most known salads features carbs. Discover the centuries-old Panzanella Salad history:
Panzanella salad gets its name from the Italian words “pane” meaning bread and “zanella” meaning soup bowl or deep plate in which it is served.
The salad was created out of necessity as to not waste food (the bread) and to use what was most fresh (from the vegetable garden).
Panzanella goes back to at least the 1500s in Tuscany where farmers and peasants would soak day-old bread in water, squeeze the water out to dry, and then mix the bread bits with vegetables from their gardens.
Bronzino, the 16th century poet and painter of the Medici family sang of his love for panzanella salad as he described onions, oil, vinegar, toast, purslane (a European leafy vegetable), and cucumbers.
It is important to note that the salad was based on onions until the 20th century. In fact, when the dish was first created tomatoes had not yet arrived in Italy.
Today, this famous bread salad is made during summer months when tomatoes are in peak season.
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