Spring Panzanella with Roasted Asparagus & Shaved Parmesan
A lovely, simple meal for any time of year, Panzanella reminds us of warmer weather and sunny days, enjoying light meals outdoors. It’s essentially ‘bread salad’ tossed up with any number of vegetables, cheeses, and/or meats you have on hand. Our Spring version features baby greens, peas, and asparagus. It’s equally delightful served it in the summer with fresh peaches, basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella. Or in the fall with grilled eggplant and zucchini, roasted peppers, and fresh ricotta. You get the idea... it’s adaptable! Serve this healthy version with a bit of roasted chicken, grilled salmon, or a poached egg and you have an inspired, light dinner ready in no time. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Yields 4 servings
I slab Flour Craft Focaccia or other crusty, gluten free bread
1 bunch Asparagus, ends trimmed
3oz Mixed Baby Greens
2 oz Snow Peas
10 leaves fresh Spearmint
2 sprigs fresh Tarragon
1 oz Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved with a vegetable peeler
2 TB fresh lemon juice
1 TB Dijon Mustard
4 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil (plus more for seasoning)
1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper (plus more for seasoning)
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the focaccia into strips lengthwise and then crosswise into 2-inch cubes. For one slab, you will get about 30, 2-inch cubes.
Place the cubes on a parchment lined baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes until the oil is sizzling and the cubes are golden and crispy. If using another type of bread, you’ll want to toss with a bit of olive oil before toasting to ensure those golden, crispy edges.
While the focaccia is toasting, cook the asparagus and peas. Heat 1 TB Olive Oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Cut the asparagus into 2-inch long pieces and cut the snow pea pods in half crosswise. Season with salt & pepper and cook over medium heat until tender, but still bright green, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
Make the salad dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, dijon mustard, olive oil, salt & pepper until emulsified. Add the baby greens and focaccia and toss to coat with the dressing. Arrange dressed greens & bread on a large serving platter. Scatter mint & tarragon over top followed by asparagus & peas. Shave parmesan over top and serve!
