When PACHA CEO Adam Hiner owned his own farm-to-table restaurant in San Deigo's Hillcrest neighborhood, his secret favorite on the menu was Panzanella Salad. Panzanella is an Italian word, stemming from pane: 'bread’ + zanella: ‘small basket’. This dish isn't just a small basket of bread... it's a small basket of pure, delicious... joy.
This is one of our favorite offerings at a weekend gathering. It can be prepped well ahead of time and mixed together onsite for that "wow" factor all of us semi-pro chefs go for. But the best part about this dish is that it can be made with any of your favorite seasonal veggies! You can find what's in season near you by visiting www.seasonalfoodguide.org. The recipe below is just our version of the day!
Ingredients:
- 1 Pacha 3SEED Onion & Garlic loaf
- 3 medium summer squash / zucchini
- 1 large red onion
- 1 lb arugula
Marinade:
- 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 c. olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 sprigs rosemary, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 2-3 hours
- Cube bread into 1" chunks. Spread into a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 350℉ for about an hour or until the bread is nice and crispy on the outside. Allow cubes to cool, and store in an airtight container if prepping ahead.
- Slice onion and squash into grillable strips. Place in a gallon baggie. In a jar, whisk together marinade ingredients, pour over vegetables, and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour. (If prepping ahead, place bag in fridge overnight. Otherwise, let sit at room temp for 1-4 hours)
- Grill veggies. If you don't have a grill, you can use a cast iron griddle on the stovetop like we did! Cook until tender with brown grill marks. Save excess marinade and pour it over the cooked veggies. Allow to cool.
- 15-20 minutes before it is time to eat, combine the Pacha cubes, arugula, and marinated vegetables. Stir every 3-5 minutes to coat bread with juice.
- Enjoy!
