Changing the panzanella’s basic foundation, the swap of tomatoes for figs and a healthy sprinkling of mildly sweet ricotta cheese, makes this fig panzanella a summer staple perfect for picnics and backyard entertaining.
No. 1 | Toss the bread with 2-3 tbsp of olive oil to coat. Heat a skillet on medium-high and add the bread to toast on each side until golden brown. Add more olive oil as necessary. Place them in a bowl to cool while you prepare the other ingredients.
No. 2 | Make the dressing by combining 1/3 cup olive oil, dijon mustard, honey, vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until combined. Add the sliced onions and figs to the bread. Pour all but 2 tbsp of the dressing and allow to marinate for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours in the fridge.
No. 3 | Just before serving, add the arugula, basil and ricotta cheese. Toss with remaining dressing and serve.
Tip: always use slightly stale bread. It crisps much better in the pan and soaks up the dressing more than fresh could ever.
Styling tip: pile a salad dish high with your panzanella then top with additional ricotta, basil leaves and walnuts for a nuttier flavour and more texture.
Keywords: panzanella recipe, picnic recipes, easy fig recipes
Find it online: https://www.chefsouschef.com/fig-panzanella/