It’s a flavor bomb of herbs and spices wrapped around everything that’s already perfect about panzanella: bread swimming in tomato juices,’ says Elsass, who features this cookout-ready recipe in his new cookbook What Can I Bring? ‘I know good crusty bread can be hard to track down, so I swapped in toasted bagels. They’re easy to find, impossible to mess up, and they soak up flavor like a dream’
4 bagels (such as sesame, everything or other flavors)
5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 medium heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1⁄ 2-in. wedges
2 tsp. flaky sea salt, plus more for garnish
1 large shallot, minced
2 large garlic cloves, grated
1⁄2 tsp. cumin seeds
1⁄2 tsp. caraway seeds
1⁄2 tsp. fennel seeds
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1⁄2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
1⁄4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley
1. Preheat oven to 450°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Using a serrated knife, cut bagels in half crosswise, and cut halves into 1-inch pieces. Transfer to baking sheet, and toss with 3 tablespoons of the oil until coated. Bake in oven until toasted and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, gently toss tomatoes with flaky sea salt in a large bowl; let stand until juices release from tomatoes, about 5 minutes. Transfer about 1 ⁄4 cup tomato juices to a small bowl; reserve remaining juices in large bowl.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small skillet over medium heat until shimmering, about 30 seconds. Add shallot, garlic, cumin seeds, caraway seeds and fennel seeds; cook, stirring often, until fragrant and shallot is softened, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl with tomatoes.
5. Drizzle vinegar over tomato mixture. Add toasted bagel pieces, basil and parsley; stir until well-coated in tomato juices. Add reserved tomato juices, 1 tablespoon at a time, if salad is dry. Transfer to a large shallow bowl. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; garnish with a pinch of flaky salt and basil leaves.
Serves: 8
Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
By SABRINA WEISS