Stone Fruit and Fennel Panzanella

In the heat of the summer I’m looking for something light, fresh, and super satisfying. I don’t want to feel stuffed after eating but I also don’t want to neglect the 2 primary food groups, cheese and bread. I love stone fruit during the summer. Cherries are just about one of my favorite fruits but when they’re not in season they’re pricey so I usually only have them during the summer. Then there’s fennel. I love fennel. However, some people think the black liquorish flavor is awful. but, yes, I’m the one eating the leftover black liquorish jelly beans when everyone else has passed them by. Growing up in an Italian household, fennel and anise were used often and I love it. Anyways, if you’re not a fennel fan, you can omit it. All in all this salad is a winner! The combination of fruits, cheese, bread, citrus, and onion is seriously so so good. It’s a must make whether you’re staying in or hanging with some friends, 6 feet apart, of course ;)

Recipe

Ingredients:

8oz of French bread, cubed into 1” pieces

1 peach

1 nectarine

3 plums

1 cup cherries, pitted

1/4 fennel

1/4 red onion

8oz mozzarella, cubed

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

To make:

Pre-heat oven to 225 degrees.

Place bread cubes on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Place in oven and cook for about 45 minutes, unti bread isl dried out and firm to the touch.

Remove pit and slice peach, nectarine and plums. Place in a large mixing bowl.

Using a mandolin at it’s thinnest setting, shave red onion and fennel. Place in mixing bowl with fruit. *If you don’t have a mandolin, slice onion and fennel as thin as possible using a knife.

Add olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.

*If you are making this ahead, stop at this step and store in the fridge for up to 4 hours.

about 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving, toss bread and mozzarella in with the fruit mixture so it can absorb some of the juices.

Serve cold and enjoy!