Summer Panzanella with Julianna

Recipe by Greg Wade, Managing Partner and Head Baker of Publican Quality Breads. Greg’s use of shaved Julianna in this panzanella recipe is nothing short of ingenious. That’s no surprise, though, given Greg won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Baker in 2019. This delightful bread salad is bright and colorful in both hue and flavor. Unexpected and fun, this summer panzanella is a must try for your end-of-summer dinner parties. Be sure to use good bread!

Greg is known as a leader in America’s bread renaissance. He specializes in local whole grains and is committed to biodiversity and preserving ancient grains. Publican Quality Bread was born in 2014, a powerhouse bread program for One Off Hospitality’s restaurants and other wholesalers across Chicago, which blossomed into Publican Quality Breads Bakery (now with two locations, West Town and Oak Park). There you’ll find top-notch baked goods, as well as the highest quality sandwiches, pizza, and more. You should also check out Greg’s cookbook: “Bread Head: Baking for the Road Less Traveled.”

Summer Panzanella with Julianna

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

Sherry Vinaigrette

¼C olive oil

2T sherry vinegar

1T shallot, minced

1/2t salt

1/2t black pepper

Mince the shallot.

Combine all in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

Reserve until ready to dress the salad.

Panzanella

1 loaf country bread

1/4C piquillo peppers

1/4C blueberries

1/4C preserved eggplant

1/2C Julianna goat cheese

¼ head radicchio

Method

Preheat an oven to 350F.

Cut the crust off the country bread, then cut the interior into 3/4 inch cubes.

Toss the bread in olive oil and toast in the oven for 12-15 minutes until golden and crisp.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool before finishing the salad.

Slice the piquillo peppers & preserved eggplant into ribbons.

Preserved eggplant can be found at specialty Italian markets, you can also choose to grill slices of eggplant until tender and then slice those into strips.

Slice the radicchio in half, then remove the core. Cut the half in half again, giving you one quarter of a head, then slice that into quarter inch strips.

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the cheese into nice long strips and add to the salad.

Combine all ingredients and toss with the vinaigrette.

Serve immediately, topping with more peeled cheese first.