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The Panzanella
- 1 small red onion
- ½ Cup red wine vinegar
- 12 pre-baked donair meatballs (see recipe below)
- ½ loaf sourdough bread
- ½ Cup bocconcini or any fresh mozzarella you like, torn into pieces
- ¼ C sundried tomatoes, sliced
- sweet creamy garlic dressing, to taste (see recipe below)
- kosher salt
- fresh basil leaves for garnish
Donair Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder (P: I didn't have this so I added some green onion instead)
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp pepper
Sweet Creamy Garlic Dressing
(makes approximately 1 up)
- ½ Cup canola oil (P: I used avocado oil which is also a neutral flavoured oil but is healthier!)
- ¼ Cup white vinegar
- ¼ Cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 2 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
For the donair meatballs:
- Pre-heat oven 350ºF
- In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together by hand until well combined – for true donair texture, pulse the meat in a food processor, in small batches, until smooth. (P: I pulsed it in my food processor but I was able to do it in one batch. I have a pretty big food processor!)
- Roll into small balls and bake on parchment lined baking sheet 22-24 minutes – remove from oven and set aside until ready to serve. (P: mine were done after 15 minutes using convection setting, so I'd suggest checking them a bit early. I also kept them in the fridge after cooking and used them the next day.)
- When ready to serve, cook meatballs in a hot skillet over medium heat until browned and slightly crispy.
For the sweet creamy garlic dressing:
Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well Adjust salt and pepper to taste. (P: I found it difficult to get the honey to all dissolve in the initial shake, but after I let it sit for a while and shook it again, it dissolved completely. You could also whisk everything together.)
To compose the salad:
- Slice red onion as thin as you can – place into a small dish and cover with red wine vinegar – set aside. (P: did this one day in advance.)
- Heat a small skillet over medium to high heat ( P: I added a little oil to the pan )– once hot, add pre-baked donair meatballs and cook until browned and slightly crisped on the outside – reduce heat to minimum to keep warm.
- Tear or cut the sourdough bread into bite-sized pieces – place bread pieces in a large bowl with torn fresh mozzarella, sliced sundried tomatoes, slices of pickled red onion and warm crisped donair meatballs – drizzle with sweet creamy garlic dressing and toss to coat – add more dressing to taste if desired – serve garnished with a sprinkle of kosher salt and fresh basil leaves. (P: I did not find that it needed any extra salt on top, and be generous with the basil!)
