Cherry Tomato & Black Pepper Cornbread Panzanella

Panzanella is a type of bread and vegetable salad that hails from Tuscany and Umbria in central Italy. It was created by thrifty home cooks as a delicious way to use up stale bread. Given that I often have leftover cornbread on hand, I sometimes use it in place of the traditional Italian loaf. The bread matters, but fresh, juicy tomatoes are the star of this recipe, so their seasonal perfection is paramount. 

I tend to use miniature tomatoes in as many colors and varieties as I can find when I make this recipe, but you can also use diced larger tomatoes. No matter the size or shape, the tomatoes must be fully ripe and bursting with delicious juices, an important part of the dressing. Panzanella is best enjoyed the day it’s made because the leftovers turn soggy, plus refrigeration is the ruination of fresh tomatoes. 

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallot
• 3 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 pounds very ripe miniature tomatoes
• 4 cups black pepper cornbread cubes (recipe follows)
• 1/2 cup roasted red and/or yellow bell peppers, cut into thin strips
• 1 small seedless cucumber, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup lightly packed basil leaves, small leaves left whole, larger leaves cut into thin ribbons

Directions

Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, shallot, capers, herb blend, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. 

Stir in the tomatoes and let stand for at least 15 minutes to give them time to release some of their juices, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning. 

Stir in the roasted peppers and cucumber. 

Fold in the cornbread cubes and let stand for at least 15 minutes (but no more than 1 hour) before serving, stirring occasionally. The panzanella should be moist but not soggy. If the mixture is dry, drizzle with more oil. 

Just before serving, fold in the basil and taste yet again for seasoning.

Black Pepper Cornbread Cubes

I toast cubes of my homemade cornbread when I make this panzanella so I’m also providing that recipe. Yes, it’s the recipe from season 1, but for panzanella I bake the batter in a buttered pan instead of a screaming hot skillet so that the crust stays more tender. Plus, the square shape helps me make tidy cubes. I also add a little extra black pepper to the batter. 

You can instead use your own cornbread recipe or a mix, so long as the cornbread isn’t too sweet and delicate. 

Makes 4 cups.

Ingredients

• 4 cups 1-inch cubes of cornbread (recipe follows)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Use convection if you have it. 

Place the cubes on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if needed, and toss to coat. Spread in a single layer. 

Bake until the cubes are firm and beginning to crisp along the edges, about 15 minutes, stirring midway. When done, the cubes should be firm when squeezed but not so rock hard that they shatter. They need to be sturdy enough to not crumble in the salad, yet tender enough on the inside to absorb some of the dressing. 

Let cool on the baking pan.

Black Pepper Cornbread

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups coarse stone-ground cornmeal
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450°F. 

Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and buttermilk, pour into the cornmeal mixture and stir just until blended. 

Grease a 9-inch square pan with the melted butter and scrape in the batter. Bake until the cornbread is firm in the middle and golden brown on top, about 25 minutes. 

Turn out on a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Cut enough cornbread into 1-inch cubes to measure 4 cups. Save the rest for another use. (You can turn it all into croutons, if you like, and use what you don’t need for the panzanella on top of soups, other salads or a bowl of cooked greens with pot likker.) 

Makes one 9-inch square.

Sheri Castle, award-winning food writer and cooking teacher, is known for melding culinary expertise, storytelling and humor, so she can tell a tale while making a memorable meal. Her creative, well-crafted recipes and practical advice inspire people to cook with confidence and enthusiasm. She's written a tall stack of cookbooks and her work appears in dozens of magazines. In 2019, the Southern Foodways Alliance named Sheri among Twenty Living Legends of Southern Food, calling her The Storyteller.

Sheri says that she's fueled by great ingredients and the endless pursuit of intriguing stories, usually about the role that food plays in our lives, families, communities and culture.

When she steps away from the kitchen or a local farm, Sheri enjoys spending quiet time at her home near Chapel Hill. She hails from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.