panzanella
{{Short description|Italian bread salad}}
{{Italics title}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Panzanella
| image = Italian_Panzanella.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| alternate_name = Panmolle
| country = Italy
| creator =
| course =
| type = Salad
| served =
| main_ingredient = Bread, tomatoes, onions
| variations =
| calories =
| other =
}}
Panzanella ({{IPA|it|pantsaˈnɛlla|lang}}) or panmolle ({{IPA|it|pamˈmɔlle|lang}}) is a Tuscan and Umbrian chopped salad of soaked stale bread, onions and tomatoes that is popular in the summer. It often includes cucumbers, sometimes basil and is dressed with olive oil and vinegar.
It is also popular in other parts of central Italy.
History
The 16th-century artist and poet Bronzino sings the praises of onions with oil and vinegar served with toast"In lode delle cipolle", Capitoli faceti editi ed inediti di Mess: Agnolo Allori detto il Bronzino Venice 1822 page 324 and, a page later, speaks of a salad of onions, purslane, and cucumbers.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nv4X8RhIBKcC&q=cipolla+trita&pg=PA324|title=Li capitoli faceti editi ed inediti di mess|first1=Agnolo|last1=Bronzino|first2=Pietro|last2=Magrini|date=January 25, 1822|publisher=Dalla Tipografia di Alvisopoli}}{{cite news |last=Zeldes |first=Leah A. |title=Eat this! Panzanella: Ripe tomatoes turn stale bread into manna | publisher = Dining Chicago by Chicago's Restaurant & Entertainment Guide |date=2 September 2009 |url=http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2009/09/02/eat-this-panzanella-ripe-tomatoes-turn-stale-bread-into-manna/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306213050/http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2009/09/02/eat-this-panzanella-ripe-tomatoes-turn-stale-bread-into-manna/ |archive-date=6 March 2012 }} This is often interpreted as a description of panzanella.{{cite news |first1=Marco |last1=Bazzichi |title=Panzanella, tra tradizione e le varianti «immigrate» |publisher=Corriere Fiorentino |date=18 August 2010 |url=http://corrierefiorentino.corriere.it/firenze/notizie/cronaca/2010/18-agosto-2010/panzanella-tradizione-varianti-immigrate-1703604602123.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100820103947/http://corrierefiorentino.corriere.it/firenze/notizie/cronaca/2010/18-agosto-2010/panzanella-tradizione-varianti-immigrate-1703604602123.shtml |archive-date=20 August 2010 |trans-title=Panzanella, between tradition and 'immigrant' variants |language=it }}
The name is believed to be a portmanteau of "pane", Italian for 'bread', and "zanella", a deep plate in which it is served.{{cite web|last=Dolce Jasmine|title=Panzanella salad: What you should know|date=2017-11-14|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNW89taIbGo&t=47 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211218/wNW89taIbGo |archive-date=2021-12-18 |url-status=live|access-date=2017-11-14}} Panzanella salad is served at Cafe Milano in Georgetown Washington DC. The restaurant is since 1992 frequented by US Senators and the First family of the United States.{{cite news |author1=Samantha Sault |title=Moon Washington DC |publisher=Avalon Publishing |date=2018 |isbn=9781631219979}}
Ingredients
Panzanella was based on onions, not tomatoes, until the 20th century.The earliest mention of tomatoes in panzanella found in Google Books is in 1928, in Le vie d'Italia (Rivista mensile del Touring Club Italiano 75)
Modern panzanella is generally made of stale bread soaked in water and squeezed dry, red onions, tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Cucumbers and basil are often added.{{citation needed||date=April 2025}}
Optional ingredients include lettuce, olives, mozzarella, white wine, capers, anchovies, celery, carrots, red wine, tuna, parsley, boiled egg, Mentha mint, bell peppers, lemon juice, and garlic. Theses ingredients are sometimes used, but Florentine traditionalists disapprove.
See also
{{Portal|Italy|Food}}