Panzanella Salad

Serves 4-6

- One 8" foccaccia round, cut into 1" pieces
- 3 very ripe tomatoes, cut into a 1" dice
- 1 bunch of basil, slightly more finely chopped than rough chop
- very good balsamic vinegar--to taste
- every good extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)--to taste

- 1/2 red onion sliced very thin--not more than 2 mm wide
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar

Marinate Onions
Combine onions with red wine vinegar, salt and sugar in a ziploc bag. Ensure that sugar and salt are dissolved. Leave in the bag for 1/2 hour, up to 2 hours.

Make Salad
Combine onions (use half to start, and add more to taste), tomatoes, and basil. Liberally douse with balsamic and EVOO. Taste, and add more balsamic, EVOO or salt, to taste. Immediately before serving, mix in foccaccia.

Comments:
Very nice summer salad, particularly if you have very good tomatoes. We served it with pork, but it would work well as a side with any Italian main, or with a sandwich.