Ingredients
4ozciabatta,or 3 cups cubed), or crusty sourdough bread, preferably stale, ¼th of a standard 1-lb loaf
2tbspextra-virgin olive oil
¼tspfine sea salt
2tbspextra-virgin olive oil
3tbspred wine vinegar
½tspdried oregano,plus extra for garnish
1clovegarlic,large
½tspfine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper,to taste
½small red onion,thinly sliced
1lbtomatoes,cherry or grape, halved or quartered if large
1lbadditional tomatoes,smaller tomatoes are better, cut into bite-sized pieces
1small cucumber,(or 2 mini cucumbers), thinly sliced into rounds
8ozfresh mozzarella,small mozzarella balls or tear a larger ball into bite-sized pieces, optional
⅓cupfresh basil,(about ½ oz), roughly chopped
2tbspkalamata olives,and/or capers, thinly sliced
Preparation
To make the croutons, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. If desired, line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
Slice the bread into 1-inch cubes (no larger) and place them on the baking sheet. Drizzle the cubes with olive oil, sprinkle them with the salt, and toss until thoroughly combined.
Bake for about 7 to 10 minutes until deeply golden.
Meanwhile, prepare the salad dressing. In a bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, oregano, garlic, salt, and a generous amount of black pepper. Whisk until combined.
Add the onion to mellow its flavor and lightly pickle it—first, cut the sliced onion down the middle to make the pieces more manageable.
Then, stir the onions into the dressing. Place the bowl in the refrigerator while assembling the salad.
To prepare the salad, transfer the prepared tomatoes to a large serving platter. Nestle about half of the croutons in between the tomatoes, and distribute the rest on top.
Place the cucumber rounds and mozzarella all over the salad.
Use a fork or hands to distribute the lightly pickled onions all over. Give the remaining dressing a stir and drizzle it over the salad.
Sprinkle the basil and olives and/or capers on top, followed by a light sprinkling of extra black pepper and dried oregano. Ideally, let the salad marinate for 20 minutes (or up to 1 hour) before serving.
