Chef John's Panzanella Recipe

Pour bread into a large skillet and drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil working in batches if necessary. Cook and stir bread over medium heat adding more oil as needed until bread cubes are golden and crispy on the outside 7 to 12 minutes.

Sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top of the bread cubes; cook and stir until cheese is melted onto bread and bread is crispy on the outside but still chewy on the inside 3 to 4 minutes more. Cool completely.

Combine tomatoes red wine vinegar extra virgin olive oil garlic sugar salt and black pepper together in a bowl until well-mixed. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until flavors combine about 20 minutes.

Toss basil into tomato mixture; add bread cubes and stir. Let salad sit at room temperature 3 to 4 minutes; if the liquid is completely absorbed add more vinegar and extra virgin olive oil to taste. Season with salt and black pepper.