Guest chef: Antonio Carluccio

Tomatoes are plentiful and a must for summer eating.

Panzanella. Picture: Laura Edwards

Tomatoes are plentiful and a must for summer eating. Some stale bread and a few fresh ingredients is all you need for panzanella, a quick and refreshing salad. Alternatively, cook the tomatoes with a breadcrumb stuffing for pomodori farciti; they’re good served hot or cold.

Panzanella

500g stale bread (Italian style, such as ciabatta), sliced and dried in the oven until golden

600g ripe tomatoes, cut into small chunks (save the juices)

50g celery stalks, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely sliced

1 green capsicum, deseeded and finely sliced

A few pitted black olives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus sprigs to garnish

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed

Salt and ground black pepper

Put dried bread in a bowl and add just enough water to soften it, for a few minutes only. Tear into large chunks and discard surplus water. Add tomatoes and their juices, celery, onion, capsicum, olives and basil. Mix well. Add olive oil, vinegar and garlic, then add salt and pepper to taste. Mix again until a juicy mixture results. Divide between plates and garnish with basil sprigs. Serves 4 or more

Pomodori farciti

6 large ripe tomatoes

100g (2 cups) white breadcrumbs

2 garlic cloves, peeled and very finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 1 tablespoon capers, desalted

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 200ºC. Cut the top off each tomato and set the tops aside. Spoon seeds and pulp into a bowl. Mix with breadcrumbs, garlic, mint, capers and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stuff tomatoes with this mixture, and place them on a baking tray. Top with their cut-off “hats”. Drizzle with the rest of the olive oil and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Serves 4-6

Guest chef Antonio Carluccio

Antonio Carluccio, known as the “godfather of Italian food”, has written 25 cookbooks. Vegetables by Antonio Carluccio (Hardie Grant Books, $49.99).