As fall starts rolling in again, it means the beginning of the school year, and for most of us that means back to normal dinner schedules—but it also means the end of summer and the end of the farmer’s market season. Literally soak up the last tastes of summer with a classic Panzanella salad. Hearty bread soaks up the juicy heirloom tomatoes, and the tang of sourdough perfectly balances with the sweet acidity of the tomato vinaigrette. Toasted, it soaks up the tomato juice vinaigrette perfectly, then finishes it off with some fruity olive oil, fresh basil, crisp pancetta, and creamy burrata. The best part is you can have this ready for dinner in thirty minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 loaf rustic sourdough, sliced into one-inch cubes

• 3 large heirloom tomatoes

• ½ Walla Walla Onion (or sweet onion), sliced thin

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar

• 1 bunch basil, chiffonade, and whole for garnish

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

• Burrata

• ½ cup pancetta, fried to a crisp

Instructions

Dice tomatoes into large pieces. Place in a colander and salt; the point is to draw out a lot of the moisture in the juices of the tomatoes to make a vinaigrette.

While the tomatoes are draining, dice up the loaf of bread and placing an oven at 425° until slightly dry and lightly browned, about fifteen minutes.

While the bread is toasting, take the cubed pancetta and brown it until crisp and the fat has rendered. Put it aside and keep the fat.

Soak the onions in water for at least five minutes to get some of the snap out of the onion, but still leaving the sweetness.

Take the tomato juices in a bowl. Taste for tartness—if too tart, add a little bit of sugar (and if it is not tart enough, you may need to add a little bit more vinegar). Add vinegar, salt, and pepper, then emulsify the dressing by slowly drizzling in the olive oil while whisking vigorously. Alternatively, you can use a blender or a hand mixer.

In a large bowl (larger than you think), place the drained onions, tomato, bread, and basil and toss together while mixing in the dressing a little bit at a time until the bread is evenly coated and starting to soak. Let sit for ten minutes to fully saturate. To finish, place salad in a large serving bowl top with ripped burrata to expose the creamy center. Drizzle the whole thing with extra virgin olive oil and garnish with the pancetta and some more fresh basil.