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Savory Bread Salad

Source of Recipe

From "Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food"


Recipe Introduction

"Although this salad has plenty of arugula, what makes it stand out at the table is the interplay of the toasted bread, crunchy pine nuts, and slightly chewy pancetta. The vinaigrette is made special by sautéing the shallots, which helps distribute their flavor throughout the salad."

List of Ingredients

2 cups cubed pain au levain or country sourdough
½ cup olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
â…“ cup pine nuts
¼ pound pancetta, chopped
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
6 ounces baby arugula


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spread the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Bake until the bread is toasted but still slightly chewy, about 8 minutes. Let cool.

In a frying pan over medium-low heat, toast the pine nuts until golden, stirring continuously, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In the same frying pan, combine the pancetta an 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta is browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan. Let the pan cool slightly.

Return the pan to medium heat, add the shallots, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool. Add the vinegar to the cooled shallots, then slowly whisk in the ½ cup olive oil until well blended to make a vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large serving bowl, toss together the toasted bread cubes, arugula, toasted pine nuts, and pancetta. Add the vinaigrette and toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper and serve at once.


Makes 4 servings