Salad: Panzanella

Adapted from Serious Eats

This should be saved for the ripest garden tomatoes.  We eat panzanella at least once a week as summer draws to an end.

6 oz. rustic bread
1 lb. tomato
3 Tb. olive oil, divided
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. garlic, grated on a microplane
1/2 tsp. shallot, grated on a microplane
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tb. wine vinegar
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, chopped into grape-sized pieces
2 Tb. fresh basil, coarsely chopped or torn
coarsely cracked black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cut bread into roughly 1" cubes.  Toss cubes with 1 Tb. olive oil and toast in oven until slightly dry and slightly golden, about 15 minutes.  

2. Chop tomato into bite-size chunks, toss chunks with salt, and add to a colander placed over a bowl.  Collect tomato juices for approximately 10 minutes.

3. Make a dressing by whisking together tomato juices, grated garlic and shallot, mustard and vinegar.  Gradually add remaining 2 Tb. olive oil while whisking.

4. Combine bread cubes, tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, dressing and black pepper, and allow to stand before serving until dressing has penetrated but not saturated bread cubes.