Panzanella

Source: Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Heaven

If you use the right type of bread and the freshest, ripest, tomatoes, the texture will be fantastic: crunchy, chewy, and juicy all at the same time. This is a great dish for a potluck picnic or a late summer party.

1/2 pound crusty country-style bread
1/3 cup minced red onions (or 3-4 scallions, chopped)
4 cups chopped ripe tomatoes (about 2 pounds)
1 medium-sized cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 cup (packed) torn basil leaves
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 cup pitted, chopped olives (optional)
1 cup ricotta salata or feta cheese, crumbled
2 tsp minced garlic
4-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3-4 tbsp wine vinegar
A big pinch of salt (omit if using feta cheese)
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F. Cut the bread into 1-inch slices and place them directly on a rack in the centre of the oven to toast for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Combine all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl.

Tear the toasted bread into bite-sized pieces, and distribute half of them over the bottom of a large oval gratin pan or a 9X13 inch baking pan. Pour half the tomato-vegetable-vinagrette mixture over the bread, then add a second layer of bread. Spread the remaining salad over the top, and cover tightly with plastic wrap.

Chill for at least an hour, to let the bread soak up the flavours and juices. Serve on small plates, or if it is very juicy, spoon it into bowls.