Summer meals should be two things: they should be light enough to keep you from overheating while eating, and they should be easy enough to make so you don’t feel like you’re sweating your day away in the kitchen. Giada De Laurentiis‘ “favorite summer meal” is both light and easy and so delicious that you’ll find yourself wanting to eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner all summer long. Plus, it’s an excellent recipe to make use of all those tomatoes you have ripening in your garden this time of year.
“My pane e pomodoro. My favorite summer meal,” De Laurentiis said in a recent Instagram video. “So fresh, and this is something we had all the time when I was growing up. It’s such an easy way to get a really fresh, light meal in the summertime.”
Related story
Giada De Laurentiis Calls Her New Green Alfredo Sauce a ‘Secret Weapon’ & It’s so Easy to Make
And it couldn’t be easier to make. “You toast the bread, and you rub it with fresh garlic,” De Laurentiis continued. “The toasted bread kind of absorbs all the garlic. Then, we put a little bit of olive oil over the top. And then we’re going to do the tomato. Top it with a little bit of salt. This is lemon oregano, but you can use any salt you want. I just love a little bit of oregano. It’s so crispy and light and fresh.”
“There is nothing better,” one person commented on De Laurentiis’ post. Another said, “I love a tomato sandwich, but this looks good too!!”
De Laurentiis’ used her Giadzy brand of canned tomatoes for her pane e pomodoro, but traditionally, fresh tomatoes are used. You can use any variety of tomato you have on hand (or growing in your garden!) for this light summertime dish. Just slice them thinly before placing them on the bread. You may also wish to add a bit of fresh basil for even more fresh, summery flavor! You could also top it with a bit of grated Parmesan or fresh cracked pepper to add more bite.
Give De Laurentiis’ pane e pomodoro a try this summer and you’ll be hooked on just how simple and delicious it is. It’s great for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacking, and it can be endlessly altered to fit the mood.
Before you go, check out our gallery:
Dining and Cooking