You might be familiar with this salad made with stale bread, but for some more texture and taste, try making it with taralli, often sold as pepper or fennel round bread biscuits at Italian specialty stores in the United States. Actually, taralli are small bread rounds, much in the style of bagels, which are baked and toasted to a crisp. It is a traditional food from Puglia, Calabria, and Basilicata. The story goes that the taralli were made specifically for the shepherds and workers to take to their fields. The taralli lasted and traveled well, and, once tossed with some condiments, they would revive and be delicious.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Toss together the tomatoes, red onion, and oregano in a large serving bowl. Break the taralli into 1-inch pieces, and add to the bowl. Drizzle with the vinegar and oil, and season with the salt.
Step 2
Let the salad sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, to moisten the taralli with the dressing and tomato juices. Toss with the shredded basil just before serving.
