There are few better ways to use a bunch of juicy, ripe summer tomatoes than this Italian salad using toasted bread to soak up delicious juices. In addition to the dried bread, this recipe includes grilled zucchini which will also soak up the tomato juices. You can also add things like olives, sliced cucumbers, or fresh mozarella.
Heat the oven to 300. Heat the grill.
Cut a crusty loaf of bread into bite-size cubes to make 6 C. The bread can be stale, but obviously you don’t want to use moldy bread.
Toss the bread with 2 T. olive oil and arrange in a single layer on a sheet pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes, until it is crispy on the outside but still a little soft on the inside.
Thinly slice 2-3 zucchini lengthwise. On a large plate, mix together 1/2 t. salt and 1 T. olive oil. Dip each zucchini slice in the oil on both sides, then place on the grill. Lower the heat to medium. When the squash is nicely browned on the bottom — about 7-10 minutes — use a tongs to flip over. The other side will cook much more quickly. Transfer the slices to a plate to cool. Once they are cool, chop them into bite-sized pieces.
Core and dice 2 lbs. of ripe tomatoes. Place in a bowl and salt generously, then toss to mix the salt in. After 10-15 minutes, use a slotted spoon to transfer the tomatoes to a separate bowl. There should be lots of juice leftover.
Into the tomato juice, whisk in 2 minced cloves of garlic, 1 T. Dijon mustard, 1/2 C. olive oil, and 2 T. red or white wine vinegar. There should already be plenty of salt, but add Black Pepper to taste
Combine the toasted bread, the tomatoes and the zucchini and then toss with the dressing.
Top with chopped fresh herbs.