Hugh’s Sungold and Saffron Panzanella

Photo by:

Jess Damuck

A good panzanella is hard to find, and a good friend like Hugh is even harder to find. The perfect panzanella needs sweetness and acidity and the right amount of juice; it needs cubes of tangy sourdough bread that won’t choke you. It needs bite—and I like something that brings a little surprise. A great Panzanella is a trust-worthy go-to for any summer get together. I can’t make a Panzanella without thinking about Hugh, who loves them, and making him his own Panzanella full of all of his favorite things is the least I can do, really.

Ingredients

1 clove garlic
4 large yellow and orange heirloom tomatoes
1 pint (280g) Sungold cherry tomatoes
¼ cup (11g) chopped fresh chives
1 handful fresh basil leaves
1 handful chopped bronze fennel, or fennel fronds
½ boule sourdough bread (sesame bread is best if you can find it!)
½ cup thinly sliced pepperoncini
¼ cup (60ml) white balsamic vinegar
Big pinch Kashmiri Saffron
Surya Salt or kosher salt
Freshly ground Aranya Black Pepper
¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil

Methods

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Cut ½ boule bread into 1-inch-thick (2.5 cm) slices and toast on a baking sheet for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and carefully rub the garlic clove over the toasted side of bread. Tear the bread into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces (you should have about 5 cups/250 g). Return to the oven and bake until just golden, about 5 more minutes. Let cool.
Cut 4 heirloom tomatoes into wedges and cut 1 pint (280 g) cherry tomatoes in half. In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with ½ cup (60 g) thinly sliced pepperoncini, ¼ cup (60 ml) white balsamic vinegar, and a big pinch of saffron and season with salt and pepper. Mix well (I usually just do this with clean hands to really toss everything). Let sit for a few minutes for the saffron to bloom.
Add ¼ cup (60 ml) oil and let this mixture sit for at least 30 minutes or up to a few hours at room temperature. The longer it sits the more the tomato juice and other flavors will meld and the more delicious it will be.
Toss the bread, tomato mixture, ¼ cup (11 g) chopped chives, 1 handful basil, and 1 handful chopped bronze fennel to combine.
Don’t do this in advance or the bread will get too mushy.