Fig Panzanella with Ricotta & Basil
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.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Food + Drink, Appetizer, Main
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1/2 loaf rustic Italian bread (torn or 1/2″ cubed (about 4 cups))
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (divided)
- 1/4 medium red onion (thinly sliced with the grain)
- 4 whole figs (diced)
- 1 cup arugula
- 1/2 cup basil leaves (loosely packed and torn)
- 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 tsp honey
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp champagne or white wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
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.
Notes
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/