Grandma’s Tomato and Cucumber Salad

serves 6–8
A twist on our Sicilian grandmother’s recipe—try it with fresh, homegrown tomatoes and fresh lemon juice. Adding cucumbers and day old bread brings our family’s classic salad to the next level.

1½ lbs. tomatoes
1 large onion, sliced
1 large cucumber, sliced
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried Greek oregano
4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced

For Panzanella
Loaf of your favorite day-old bread
Olive oil

Wash, core, and wedge the tomatoes. Add the onion and cucumber slices to the tomatoes, then toss with salt. Add the Greek oregano, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. Toss the salad and let marinate for 1 hour before serving.

For Panzanella: Preheat the oven to 275°. Cut your loaf of bread into 1-inch cubes, arrange on a baking sheet, and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Bake for 20–25 minutes to lightly crisp the bread without toasting it. Remove and allow it to cool before tossing with the marinated tomato salad. Serve immediately before the bread gets soggy!