Stone Fruit Panzanella with Stracciatella and Smokey Pistachio Pesto

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As I celebrate this 15th issue of The Kitchen Counter, I’ve been listening closely to your feedback my dear subscribers, and what I can tell you is it’s been, well, wonderfully varied.

Some of you crave quick, no-fuss recipes (I’m looking at you Mom), while others are eager to dive into something more “cheffy,” dishes that stretch your skills and creativity and nudge you out of your cooking comfort zones. And guess what? The divide is almost perfectly even.

So, what’s a chef to do?

Well, I’m going to do what I do best: try to please everyone. I know, I know—no small feat. But I love a good challenge.

So this week, I’m leaning into my creative side, and couldn’t be more excited to share with you a recipe that I’ve been absolutely swooning over:

Stone Fruit Panzanella with Stracciatella and Smoky Pistachio Pesto.

It’s my love letter to late summer and a heartfelt ode to what might just be the most luxurious cheese on the planet—Stracciatella.

Beginnings of homemade Stracciatella Cheese

If you haven’t met Stracciatella yet, you’ve probably already enjoyed its magic. It’s the luscious, creamy center of burrata—yes, that dreamy cheese we all adore. Stracciatella is essentially strands of fresh mozzarella bathed in just enough heavy cream to make it velvety and rich. Finding it in stores can be a bit tricky, but don’t worry—I’ll show you how to make a pretty spot-on version at home.

And when you pair this indulgent cheese with ripe stone fruits and tomatoes at their peak, well, it’s a match made in summer heaven. Yes, I know, I just had you make a tomato dish a couple of weeks ago, but trust me, tomato-less months are looming, so let’s savor them and get while the gettin is good.

And so, where there are tomatoes and Stracciatella, there must also be bread.

Enter panzanella—an Italian salad intended as an outlet for day old bread. Traditionally, recipes call for summer tomatoes and plenty of olive oil. In this version, we add the sweet complexity of stone fruit, and since tomatoes are technically also a fruit, they harmonize perfectly together. The juices of the tomatoes and stone fruit work their magic on the crunchy bread, which transforms into chewy, moist, flavorful pillows akin to croutons that have been soaked in dressing in the best way. Soft, flavorful bites that are anything but boring.

And because I believe in adding a bit of flair, I’ve introduced a smoky pistachio pesto to tie it all together. Pistachios bring a buttery, earthy sweetness that, combined with olive oil, basil, and a hint of smoked paprika, adds a savory depth that plays beautifully with the tangy tomatoes, sweet stone fruit, and creamy Stracciatella.

This is THE panzanella of late summer, and a recipe that fulfills my cheffy heart. It might not be the quickest and easiest recipe I’ve shared on The Kitchen Counter, but it sure is one of the most delicious. And that, I think, should make everyone happy.