Panzanella facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Panmolle |
|---|---|
| Type | Salad |
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Tuscany, Umbria |
| Main ingredients | Bread, tomatoes, onions |
Panzanella is a fresh and tasty salad from Italy. It comes from the regions of Tuscany and Umbria. People often make it in the summer when it's hot outside.
This special salad is made with a few main ingredients. It uses stale bread that has been soaked in water, along with onions and tomatoes. Sometimes, people also add cucumbers and basil. The salad is usually dressed with olive oil and vinegar for a delicious flavor. Panzanella is also popular in other parts of central Italy.
History of Panzanella
People have been enjoying salads like Panzanella for a long time. A famous Italian artist and poet named Bronzino lived in the 1500s. He wrote about eating onions with oil and vinegar. He also mentioned a salad with onions, a plant called purslane, and cucumbers. Many people think he was describing an early version of Panzanella.
The name "Panzanella" probably comes from two Italian words. "Pane" means bread, which is a main part of the salad. "Zanella" is a word for a deep plate or bowl. So, Panzanella means something like "bread in a bowl."
What's in Panzanella?
For many years, Panzanella was mostly made with onions. Tomatoes were not a common ingredient until the 1900s. This is because tomatoes came to Italy from other parts of the world later on.
Today, Panzanella is usually made with these ingredients:
- Stale bread (soaked in water and squeezed dry)
- Red onions
- Fresh tomatoes
- Olive oil
- Vinegar
- Salt
- Pepper
Many recipes also include cucumbers and basil. These add more freshness and flavor.
Some people like to add other things to their Panzanella. These can include lettuce, olives, mozzarella cheese, capers, or even tuna. However, people from Florence, a city in Tuscany, prefer the traditional recipe. They believe the simple ingredients are the best!
