Portuguese Panzanella with Chourico and Presunto

Never throw away your day old bread. Make this Panzanella salad. Simply cut the bread into 1 inch cubes, coat with a little olive oil and your favorite seasonings and cook in your oven for a few minutes until crispy. This salad is easy to make and you can substitute the meats with any you prefer. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Chourico sausage (thinly sliced)

Presunto (Prociutto * thinly sliced and chopped)

Tomatoes (cut into chunks)

Cucumbers (cut into chunks)

Apple (cut into chunks) This is optional

Cheese (cut into small cubes)

Red Onions (sliced thinly)

Olive oil

Red wine vinegar or Balsamic vinegar depending on your preference

Salt

Pepper

Basil (chopped)

Crusty Bread cut into cubes or store bought croutons

Preparation:

Place the tomatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, chourico, presunto, and onions in a deep salad bowl.

Make dressing by mixing equal parts oil and vinegar and then add salt and pepper to your taste in a small jar and shake well.

Pour dressing over the salad. Top with basil and the croutons.

Note: Make the salad ahead of time and store in the refrigerator before adding the dressing if you want to serve it later in the day.