Turns out one of the internet's favourite tomato recipes is also one of the oldest tricks in the Italian cookbook. Serious Eats recently crowned its Tuscan-style panzanella its most popular fresh-tomato recipe of all time. We get it. At its simplest, panzanella is a glorious jumble of ripe tomatoes, crusty bread, basil, olive oil and vinegar, the sort of dish that tastes disproportionately good for the amount of effort involved.

Its origins are considerably less internet-y. Panzanella began as cucina povera, the ingenious Italian tradition of making something wonderful out of very little. In Tuscany, stale bread was too precious to waste, so it was softened and tossed with whatever was on hand. Early versions didn't even contain tomatoes. Onions, bread, oil and vinegar came first; tomatoes joined the party centuries later and, unsurprisingly, stole the show.

The Serious Eats version has one particularly clever move: salt the tomatoes first, then use the juices they release to make the vinaigrette. The bread drinks up all that tomatoey goodness while keeping some bite. It's messy, juicy and exactly what you should be making while September tomatoes are still worth eating.

What to serve with it? Panzanella is perfectly happy on its own for lunch, but it's also brilliant alongside grilled chicken, steak or fish, a ball of burrata or some good Italian sausages. Add a cold bottle of rosé or a light Italian red and call it meal.

• 2 1/2 pounds (1.1 kg) mixed ripe tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces

• 2 teaspoons (8 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more for seasoning (use half as much if using table salt)

• 3/4 pound (340 g) ciabatta or rustic sourdough bread, cut into 1 1/2–inch cubes (about 6 cups bread cubes)

• 10 tablespoons (150 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)

• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup (1/2 ounce) packed basil leaves, roughly chopped

• 1 8-oz ball burrata or fresh mozzarella, torn into large pieces

• Tarragon sprigs (for serving)

• Flaky sea salt

STEP 1

Place chopped tomatoes in a colander set over a bowl and season with 2 teaspoons (8g) kosher salt. Toss to coat. Set aside at room temperature to drain, tossing occasionally. Drain for a minimum of 15 minutes.

STEP 2

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and adjust rack to center position. In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake about 15 minutes, until crisp and firm but not browned. Remove from oven and let cool.

STEP 3

Remove colander with tomatoes from bowl with tomato juice. Place colander with tomatoes in sink. Add shallot, garlic, mustard, and vinegar to bowl with tomato juice. Whisking constantly, drizzle in remaining 1/2 cup (120ml) olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

STEP 4

Combine toasted bread, tomatoes, and dressing in a large bowl. Add basil leaves. Toss everything to coat and season with salt and pepper. Let rest 30 minutes before serving, tossing occasionally until the dressing is absorbed by the bread.

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