ITALIAN BREAD SALAD

This Italian bread salad combines crispy focaccia with hearty marinated cherry tomatoes and a hint of basil. This aromatic combination promises a taste experience that is perfect both as a light meal and as a side dish for various occasions.

Recipe for 3-4 people
Preparation time: 3 hours
Utensils: Food processor (for kneading)

Focaccia ingredients:

300 g flour
4g salt
2g sugar
180 g lukewarm water
10 g fresh yeast
50 ml olive oil
1clove garlic
25 ml water
2tsp spice mix Amore

Tomato salad ingredients:

300 g cherry tomatoes
5g salt
½ bunch basil
1shallot
1clove garlic
1tsp spicy table mustard
1tsp olive oil
2tsp spice mix Amore
30 g pine nuts
Additional grated Cocoa Balls

Preparation of the focaccia:

1. Mix the flour and salt, place in a mixing bowl and make a well in it with a spoon.
2. Mix the sugar and yeast in the lukewarm water and dissolve. Leave to stand in a warm place for approx. 5 to 10 minutes.
3. When the yeast mixture foams, slowly add it to the flour and salt mixture and mix well.
4. Then knead the dough for 5 minutes using the mixer.
5. Pour a little olive oil into a bowl and place the dough in the oil.
6. Cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise for approx. 1 to 1.5 hours until the dough has doubled in size.
7. Fold the dough together, place on a flat baking tray and carefully press small indentations into it with your fingertips.
8. Leave to rise again for about 20 to 30 minutes.
9. Puree the olive oil with the garlic, Amore spice mix and water.
10. Then pour this mixture into the indentations.
11. Bake in a preheated oven at around 220 °C for 20 minutes.

Preparation of the tomato salad:

1. Cut the cherry tomatoes into quarters and sprinkle well with salt.
2. Place the salted tomatoes in a sieve over a bowl and chill in the fridge for a few hours. (This allows the tomato water to be collected. We will need this for the dressing at the end).
3. Then finely chop the shallots, basil and garlic and add to the tomato water together with the mustard and olive oil.
4. Mix everything together to make a dressing .
5. Add the Amore spice mix to taste.
6. Set the tomato water aside and briefly rinse the salted tomatoes in the sieve under cold water and drain (so that the bread salad is not too salty).
   
   

Assemble the bread salad:

1. Cut the foccacia into pieces, drizzle with a little olive oil and toast together with the pine nuts in the oven at 175 °C for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Then add the toasted focaccia, pine nuts and dressing to the tomatoes and fold in.
3. Serve and enjoy.

Tip:
Sprinkle a little grated cocoa on top if you like.