Italy, 150th anniversary: an historical plate, the "panzanella"

The green of the basil, white bread and the red of the tomato. The "panzanella", tipoical Italina bread salas,  has a natural vocation to represent the unification of Italy for its coulors. If you then add that in 1865 it was served by the statesman Bettino Ricasoli to the king of Italy Vittorio II during his visit in Chianti for a hunt, then the election is a must. This humble and simple dish made rivers of ink. A similar recipe was to be the "pan washed" already mentioned by Boccaccio. Many attribute the birth of true panzanella, the use of wet country and dry old bread (the bread was baked once a week) and mix it with the vegetables that were readily available in the garden. Another school of thought argues that the panzanella born on board fishing boats, where the sailors were preparing a meal fast wetting with sea water of hard bread and some vegetables. The term according to some panzanella, bread comes from the words and Zanella (conchino, deep dish or bowl), according to others by the word "lie" which originally meant jelly. In the sixteenth century there was even who sang its praises: "Who wants to pierce on the stars en'tinga bread to eat and Tirapelle a salad of chopped onion glue and porcellanetta citriuoli defeats all other pleasures of life considered a bit 's'aggiungessi basil and arugula. " These are words of impeccable portrait painter Agnolo Bronzino, who made his fortune at the court de 'Medici in an environment in which the staging and the label were key elements of the life of society. He does not mention speaking of panzanella tomatoes, still do not use as of the time, but lists the porcellanetta grass rustic forgotten today. In 1865 a historic panzanella would be served in the ancient castle of Brolio the statistics Bettino Ricasoli to the King of Italy Vittorio Emanuele, who had arrived in Chianti for a hunting party. The panzanella was prepared with the classic ingredients: green basil, white bread, red tomatoes. They were thus served the colors of Italy.