Panzanella

Panzanella is stale bread torn and soaked, tossed with tomato, cucumber and red onion in a sharp vinegar dressing. It's Tuscany's way of never wasting a loaf, and — unlike fattoush, its crisp-bread Levantine cousin — the whole point here is bread gone soft, soaked through with tomato juice and vinegar until it's practically part of the dressing.

What it actually is

Dense, day-old bread, torn into rough chunks, is briefly soaked in water and squeezed out, then torn again into smaller pieces before being tossed with ripe tomato, cucumber, thinly sliced red onion and basil. A dressing of red wine vinegar and generous olive oil goes over everything, and the salad sits for a while before serving so the bread properly absorbs the tomato juice and vinegar rather than staying dry at the centre.

The soaking step is the whole craft of the dish: too little and the bread stays tough; too much and it turns to paste. Getting a chunk that's soft all the way through but still holds its shape is the actual skill.

How it's served

• At room temperature, having rested at least twenty minutes after tossing.
• As a starter, alongside other Tuscan antipasti.
• With extra olive oil drizzled just before it reaches the table.

Writing it on a menu

• Flag the gluten in the bread; it's the one common allergen in an otherwise naturally vegan salad.
• Mention that it's meant to rest before serving; a fresh-tossed panzanella served immediately hasn't finished becoming itself yet.
• Say if you use a specific bread, since the classic Tuscan pane sciocco (unsalted) behaves differently from a salted loaf.
• Distinguish it from fattoush if both appear on a menu; one uses soaked soft bread, the other crisp toasted bread, and they're genuinely different textures by design.