- ½ pound day old crusty bread, cut or torn into 1-inch pieces (5 cups)
- 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ small red onion thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- coarse salt and ground pepper
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn if large
- 1 container (15 ounces) ricotta
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, spread bread in a single layer and bake until dry and light golden brown, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine tomatoes, onion, vinegar and oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Add toasted bread and basil and toss to combine.
- Let sit 20 to 30 minutes to allow bread to soak up liquid.
- Divide salad evenly amoun four bowls and top each with some ricotta, a drizzle of oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Swap It – If you prefer, serve the panzanella with slices of fresh mozzarella instead of ricotta.

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