It's all like whatever - Bread salad

I haven't done a food post in ages but now that summer's here I thought I'd share this super easy recipe that's perfect for warm evenings. It's a bit of chopping in the beginning but then it's all like whatever for the rest of it.

 

Bread salad with Roasted vegetables

Ingredients:

- A stale baguette (I roughly tore it to thirds and left it on top of the bread bin for like two days.)
- Vegetables: Go with any veggies that roast well.  Suggestions - bell peppers (anything but green) red onions, yellow onions, zucchini or other squash, asparagus, even a bit of finely minced chili pepper will be good.  Amounts depend on how many people you feed.  I ended up with about 4 full cups of chopped veg and the two of us ate like pigs.
- A couple cloves of garlic minced
- Cubed pancetta
- Italian parsley ("flat leafed")
- Some balsamic vinegar
- Some red wine vinegar (optional)
- Some olive oil
- Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Turn on the grill in your oven. Move the rack to the top or as near as possible where you can fit a roasting pan underneath it.
2. Roughly tear up your bread into bit sized pieces.
3. Put the bread pieces into the roasting pan and put under the grill.  You want to toast them. Let them get light brown and then mix them around so they get evenly browned.
4. Transfer the toasted pieces to a bowl. It's ok if there's crumbs left in the roasting pan, yum!
5. Chop up all your veg to about 1-2 inch pieces, basically bite sized.
6. Throw the veg, pancetta, and minced garlic into the roasting pan and lightly coat with with olive oil. Drizzle half as much balsamic vinegar (you can add more later).  Salt and Pepper.  Mix around with your hands and pop it under the grill.
7. Let the veggies well, roast.  You might want to pull it out occasionally to mix the veg around so that it cooks evenly.  You want them to get browned but not burned.  Obviously.
8. Take the roasting pan out of the oven and add the reserved bread pieces.
9. Add chopped parsley and mix it all about.  Add some drops of red wine vinegar if you got it.
10. Enjoy while basking in the evening sun.

Optional variations:
- Tablespoon or so of capers will add a tangy kick, add them to the roasting veg for the last 2 mins
- Grated parmesan on top right before serving is always welcome
- Also great as a side with creamy soup, like carrot or tomato