Simple Italian Panzanella Bread Salad

Place your stale bread cubes on a large baking sheet or plate to dry out. From experience, if you don't have stale bread, you can toast the cubes in your oven at a low temperature like 275 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. But don't let them brown like croutons, they should just dry out.

Put the chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, and sliced onions into a large bowl. Toss them well. Now, add your bread cubes and torn basil leaves into the mix.

In another smaller bowl, whisk together your extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar. Trust me on the choice of the oil and vinegar. The extra virgin olive oil gives a fruity flavor, while the red wine vinegar gives it a flavorful kick.

Drizzle this vinaigrette mixture over the salad ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Always remember to season to your own taste and dietary needs.

Mix the salad well and let it sit for about 30 minutes to let the flavors join hands. This 'marinating' will give your salad a unique, rich flavor that’s intensely satisfying.