Drop-in Food Workshop: Panzanella – A traditional Italian no-waste recipe

Come and join Cultural Champion Valentina for some delicious, tasty bites of panzanella and home made focaccia. This is a drop-in workshop with Cultural Champion Valentina Todino. There is no need to book, just turn up on the day! Description: Italian traditional food is made of very poor ingredients, especially Southern dishes, as people would live on what they could grow. Most dishes are traditionally ‘vegan’, as meat was eaten only in very special occasions, as to mark seasonal ceremonies and family celebrations and fish was rarely used by those living inland. Olive oil was usually a family production and there was abundance of tomatoes everywhere! Come and join Cultural Champion Valentina for some delicious, tasty bites of panzanella and home made focaccia. Learn how to make these recipes and the vibrant diverse food culture of Italy. Italian traditional food is made of very poor ingredients, especially Southern dishes, as people would live on what they could grow. Most dishes are traditionally ‘vegan’, as meat was eaten only in very special occasions, as to mark seasonal ceremonies and family celebrations and fish was rarely used by those living inland. Olive oil was usually a family production and there was abundance of tomatoes everywhere! We love making this dish in the summer, when it’s really hot , as it requires not much effort and no cooking! We eat as a lunchtime treat or at ‘merenda’ time – the half morning or half afternoon snack. It can be made on the spot or prepared half hour before eating, so that the loveliest tomato juice can properly soak the bread slices. There are infinite versions of this dish. For some Panzanella is a bread salad, while for my family keeping the bread in slices is the real deal. It is an optimal way to make use of nice sourdough bread that is left over. The freshest the ingredients, the better the result, of course, so if you are growing tomatoes or fresh herbs, this is a great way to use them up. If you enjoy this event and any of the other events at Respect Fest 2026, please donate to our Crowdfunder, and give us a headstart to plan for Respect Fest 2027. We need local support to make this happen again! https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/qr/VlDvK1kn?utm_campaign=sharemodal&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=shortlink