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Cialledda Recipe (Traditional Puglian Bread Salad)
Cialledda is a traditional Puglian bread salad made with stale bread, ripe tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, oregano, and extra virgin olive oil. Fresh, rustic, and full of Mediterranean flavor, it is the perfect no-cook recipe for hot summer days.
Ingredients
- 300 g stale rustic bread, preferably Altamura bread or another durum wheat bread - about 10 oz
- 500 g ripe tomatoes - 1.1 lb
- 1 medium cucumber
- 1 small red onion
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil - ¼ cup
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- cold water - as needed to moisten the bread
- fine salt - to taste
Instructions
- Peel the red onion and slice it very thinly.
- Place the slices in a small bowl of cold water and let them soak for about 10 minutes. This will make their flavor milder. Drain well before using.
- Wash the tomatoes and cut them into wedges or bite-sized pieces.
- Peel the cucumber, either completely or in alternating strips, and cut it into thin slices or small pieces.
- Place the tomatoes and cucumber in a large bowl. Add the oregano, a pinch of salt, and about half of the extra virgin olive oil.
- Mix gently and let the vegetables rest for 10 minutes so that the tomatoes begin to release their juices.
- Cut or tear the stale bread into bite-sized pieces.
- Place it in a separate bowl and sprinkle it gradually with the cold water, mixing gently with your hands.NOTE: The bread should become moist and slightly tender while still holding its shape. Do not soak it until it becomes mushy. The exact amount of water will depend on how dry and compact the bread is. If you are using a less dense bread than traditional Altamura bread, do not soak it. Instead, sprinkle it gradually with cold water until sufficiently moistened.
- Add the moistened bread and drained onion to the bowl with the tomatoes and cucumber. Pour in the remaining extra virgin olive oil and toss everything together gently.
- Taste and add more salt, oregano, olive oil, or a small amount of cold water if needed.
- Leave the salad at room temperature for about 15 to 20 minutes before serving. During this time, the bread will absorb the juices of the tomatoes and the flavor of the olive oil and oregano.
- Serve the cialledda at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Nutrition
Serving: 100gCalories: 370kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 10gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.02gSodium: 364mgPotassium: 551mgFiber: 6gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1106IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 131mgIron: 4mg
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