From Barbecues 101

Makes 6 to 8 servings
Make Ahead: The salad is best served immediately. If you wish, the vinaigrette, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and olives can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead, covered and refrigerated.

To the uninitiated, bread salad may seem a bit unusual. I remember my godmother's Italian mother making this for our backyard barbecues, and I've loved it every since. You must use stale, crusty, coarse-grained bread for this salad. Buy it a day or two ahead of time, or dry out the pieces in a 300°F oven for about 30 minutes and let cool before using.

Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed through a press
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 ounces (about 1/2 large round loaf), stale coarse-grained, crusty bread, torn apart
1 large cucumber, seeded and chopped into 1/2-inch dice
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, cut into halves lengthwise
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup pitted and chopped black Mediterranean olives
1/4 cup packed, torn fresh basil leaves

1. To make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl, whisk the vinegar and garlic. Gradually whisk in the oil, then season with the salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Just before serving, immerse the bread in a large bowl of cold water. Let stand until softened, about 30 seconds. Drain. A handful at a time, squeeze out the water from the bread and crumble well into a large bowl.

3. Add the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, olives, and basil and toss well. Gradually mix in the dressing. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.