Mediterranean Bread Salad

Ingredients:

• Ciabatta – 1/2 loaf, crusts removed and torn into pieces
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• Garlic – 2 cloves, peeled
• Basil Leaves – 1 cup
• Roma Tomatoes – 5, ripe
• White Wine Vinegar – 3 tsp
• Salt
• Ground Black Pepper
• Rocket Leaves – 125 gms
• Black Nicoise Olives – 28 to 30, small

Method:

1. Spread the bread pieces on a baking tray and drizzle generously with olive oil.
2. Bake in a preheated oven at 200C for 10 minutes until crisp.
3. Crush the garlic and basil together.
4. Cut tomatoes in half and squeeze the juice into the garlic-basil mixture.
5. Add 2 1/2 tblsp olive oil, vinegar, salt and black pepper to the garlic basil dressing.
6. Mix well.
7. Roughly chop the tomato flesh.
8. Mix the bread, rocket leaves and chopped tomatoes in a bowl.
9. Add the dressing and toss well.
10. Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with black olives.
11. Serve.