Cialledda Barese
A classic cold bread salad from Bari combining soaked stale durum wheat bread, ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumber, red onion, and olive oil.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 340 kcal
Equipment
- •Large mixing bowl
- •Colander
- •Chef's knife
- •Chopping board
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- fat
- 14 g
- carbs
- 46 g
- fibre
- 5 g
- protein
- 7 g
- calories
- 340 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Soak the sliced red onion in cold water for ten minutes to soften its sharp bite.
- 2
Place the stale bread chunks into a colander over the sink.
- 3
Drizzle the cold water evenly over the bread until damp but not fully waterlogged.
- 4
Gently press the bread with your palms to remove excess moisture without crushing the crumb.
- 5
Transfer the moistened bread into a large mixing bowl.
- 6
Chop the tomatoes directly over the bowl to catch all of their savoury juices.
- 7
Drain the soaked red onion and add it to the bowl along with the cucumber slices.
- 8
Add the black olives, torn fresh basil, and crushed dried oregano.
- 9
Drizzle over the extra virgin olive oil and season generously with fine sea salt.
- 10
Toss the salad gently with your hands until the bread is coated in oil and tomato juices.
- 11
Let the salad rest at room temperature for fifteen minutes to allow flavours to harmonise before serving.
Chef's tips
Always use dense, crusty durum wheat bread that holds its shape when wet rather than airy sandwich loaves. Keep every drop of tomato juice, as it seasons and hydrates the bread alongside the olive oil.
Ingredient substitutions
- barattiere or carosello → firm Lebanese or English cucumber
- pane di Altamura → stale rustic country sourdough made with durum semolina
Storage
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, letting it come to room temperature before eating.
Reheating
This dish is traditionally served cold or at room temperature and should never be reheated.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Over-soaking the bread so it turns into a wet paste rather than firm, chewy pieces.
- •Discarding the natural tomato juices during chopping.
- •Serving straight from the fridge, which dulls the flavour of the olive oil and fresh herbs.
Serving suggestions
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