Sluttishly Savoury: Watermelon Panzanella Salad

We've covered panzanella before: a lovely vibrant Tuscan bread salad, made with charred/ old bread. This variation has the addition of watermelon (no, not crazy—genius) and a few other salty bits of bling.

This is not by any means a measly salad, it's a big, salty, sweet and hefty and refreshing salad. A meal in its own right, perfecto for hot weather — where you want to pick, go away, come back pick some more etc.

Another reason why everyone should be eating/making/talking about panzanella is that it's one of the only salads out there that is ok to sit around a bit before being served — it needs to marinate for at least half an hour anyway, making it perfect for parties. No assembling on the spot, you just whip it out of the fridge and tadaaaa.

Watermelon Panzanella (serves 2)
Preparation Time: 15 mins
Inactive: 30 mins
Cooking Time: 5 mins (only for the bread)

You will need:

• a large hunk of stale bread or ciabatta
• half a red onion, finely sliced
• 200g watermelon, cut into chunks
• some cherry tomatoes halved
• 1/4 cucumber, cut into chunks
• 1 tbsp capers
• 100g feta
• 50g kalamata olives (or black ones)
• basil
• mint

For the dressing:

• some red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• some olive oil
• salt/pepper/sugar

Make it!

1. Turn the oven to 200C/400F/Gas6. 
2. Tear up the bread into chunks, drizzle quite a lot of olive oil over them, season and bake for 5 or so minutes.
3. Combine the rest of the ingredients, and add the bread.
4. Mix the dressing ingredients together and combine, leave for 30 mins before eating.