Cacio e Pepe Panzanella Salad & Chardonnay
We just love this Cacio e Pepe Panzanella Salad. The addition of fresh corn, arugula and burrata to the classic bread and tomato combo makes for a quintessential summer salad. Perfect for outdoor summer dining and best enjoyed with a glass of our stainless steel 2022 Helix Chardonnay.
Our 2022 vintage is hand-harvested from Stillwater Creek Vineyard in the Royal Slope AVA and is fermented in 100% stainless steel. It's a beautifully pure and balanced wine with flavors of young mango and pineapple, ripe Asian pear, and a hint of banana.
INGREDIENTS
- 3/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
- 1/3 cup boiling water
- 1/3 cup EVOO
- 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
- 10 oz. crusty bread (such as ciabatta), torn into bite-sized pieces (about 7 cups total)
- 3 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 4 ears of corn)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2-3 cups baby arugula
- 1 cup fresh basil, small leaves left whole or large leaves roughly torn
- 8-10 oz. burrata or mozzarella at cool room temperature, torn in big pieces
- Freshly grated Pecorino Romano for serving
DIRECTIONS
- Dressing: Add the Pecorino to a large bowl, and whisk in the boiling water until the cheese is melted and evenly incorporated, about 15-30 seconds. Slowly whisk in the EVOO until emulsified, then add the black pepper. Reserve 1/4 cup of the dressing for assembling salad (step 5).
- Add the bread and the corn to a sheet pan lined with parchment or a silpat. Season with salt , then add the remaining dressing. Don't rinse the bowl you used for the dressing -- you'll use it in Step 4! Using your hands, toss until the bread and corn are thoroughly coated on all sides with the dressing.
- Place the sheet pan in a cold oven, and heat to 375°F. When the oven reaches temperature, check the croutons. If they are browning nicely, remove the sheet pan from the oven and flip them and stir the corn. If not, continue baking for a few more minutes. After you've flipped the croutons, bake about 4-6 minutes longer, or until they are golden and crispy on the outside, but still a little soft in some parts from the dressing. As they cool, they will continue to crisp up.
- Meanwhile, add the halved cherry tomatoes to the large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then gently toss them so they are coated in any residual dressing in the bowl.
- After the croutons and corn have cooled, toss in the tomatoes and arugula. Drizzle more dressing over the entire salad. Add the basil and burrata (or mozzarella), then top with more grated Pecorino and black pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.