Acquasale – bread panzanella with stracciatella, capers, peppers and fresh oregano

The acquasale (or acquasala or cialdedda) is the emblem of the genius, simplicity and goodness of the Apulian cuisine. In the local peasant tradition, the stale and hardened bread that could no longer be eaten was wet with water and salt and seasoned with some available vegetables (usually only onion or tomato) and abundant oregano and oil thus becoming a tasty and filling dish. In this version it is enriched with a delicious spoonful of stracciatella (strands of mozzarella “stracciati” and softened in fresh cream, a true pride of the artisanal production of dairy products).

Chef:
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 10 min of preparation, 0 min of cooking
Type of Cooking:None
Doses for: 4 people

Ingredients for Acquasale – bread panzanella with stracciatella, capers, peppers and fresh oregano

• 200 g of Apulian stracciatella
• 2 slices of stale homemade bread
• 2 spoons of caper fruits
• 2 spoons of black olives
• 2 green tomatoes
• 2 red tomatoes
• 1 carousel (wild fennel)
• 1 red onion
• a sprig of basil
• Fresh oregano
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper or chilli

Preparation

1. Wash all the vegetables, cut them into cubes and combine them in a large bowl.
2. Coarsely crumble the bread and quickly wet it with salted water.
3. Combine the bread with the vegetables and season with the extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, the pitted and chopped olives, the capers and the basil broken with your hands.
4. Let the flavors melt for a few minutes.
5. Take a spoonful of seasoned bread and form the tartare directly on the serving plates using a small pasta cutter ring; complete with a spoonful of stracciatella, fresh oregano leaves and a caper.