A Different Kind of Salad

I had some leftover french bread that was going to go stale. I realized I had a perfect recipe to solve my problem.

Panzanella (from Julie O.)

2 tomatoes, cut into bite size pieces
1 small cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 C fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
3 TBSP balsamic or red wine vinegar
salt and fresh ground pepper
6-8 thick-cut slices of crusty baguette bread

In a bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumber, onion and basil. Drizzle with oil and vinegar, season with salt and pepper and toss well. Place half the bread in a wide, shallow bowl. Spoon half the vegetables over bread. Layer remaining bread on top and then remaining vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Toss salad and adjust seasonings as needed. If bread is dry, add a little oil or vinegar. Serve immediately.

I serve this with the orecchiette with bacon and tomato sauce. I did not have fresh basil (and my husband doesn't really care for it), so I substituted dried basil and added a little oregano too. It's better with fresh, but dried works in a pinch. Very tasty and would be nice with any grilled meat or light Italian dish.