Butternut Squash and Shallot Panzanella Salad with Crispy Sage

Recipe by Calypso @wildfloursalt

#cookwitholiveoil 10.

Calypso writes:

"Panzanella is traditionally a summery Italian salad that uses stale bread and tomatoes, but it’s still quite wintery so I’m using squash, cavolo nero, radicchio and bitter leaves. I put these together with some crispy sage from my garden and left over sourdough bread fried in some garlic. I tossed everything in a simple lemony and red wine vinegar dressing."

Serves 2 as a main, or 4 as a side dish. 

Ingredients: 

1. 1/2 butternut squash 
2. 3 banana shallots 
3. 2 gloves of garlic 
4. 1/4 Leftover sourdough loaf  
5. 1 bunch/ handful of sage 
6. A handful of cavolo nero 
7. A handful of radicchio and green leaves 
8. Toasted Hazelnuts (optional)
9. Chopped Parsley (optional)
10. 4 tbsp Honest Toil evoo

Dressing: 

1. 3 tbsp Honest Toil evoo  
2. 1 red wine vinegar 
3. 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard 
4. 1 tbsp maple syrup 
5. 2 tbsp lemon juice 
6. Flakey salt and pepper to taste  

Method: 

1. Heat oven to 190C. Peel and cut butternut squash into cubes. Slice banana shallots in half lengthways and peel off the outer skin but keep their shape. Place in a roasting tin and generously drizzle with Honest Toil evoo, salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or until the shallots are soft and the squash is starting to brown. 
2. Cut your bread into bitesize croutons. Roughly chop the garlic. 
3. Put a heavy saucepan on medium-high heat with a thin layer of olive oil (about 2 tbsp). Fry sage in the oil for 1-2 minutes until crispy. Remove sage and place on a paper towel to absorb excess oil, add a sprinkle of salt. 
4. To the remaining oil in the pan, add the garlic, bread and a pinch of salt. Add more oil if needed. Let the bread get crispy and golden, cooking for about 8 minutes, stirring regularly.
5. Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients in a small bowl. 
6. Remove stems from calvolo nero and tear into small pieces. Massage the greens with a drizzle of lemon and 1Tbsp of the dressing. Add roasted veg, fried bread, a handful of radicchio and leaves. Add the remaining dressing and toss to combine. Top with the crispy sage, and parsley and toasted hazelnuts if you want some extra crunch. And don’t forget an extra drizzle of olive oil of course!