Ingredients
1crusty country Italian bread
¼cupextra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
4tbspunsalted butter,(2 oz)
4clovesgarlic
8scallions
4celery ribs
¾cupsalted shelled pumpkin seeds
1cupcelery leaves,coarsely chopped
¼cupmedium dry sherry
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Slice the bread 1 inch thick. Using fingers, pull the bread into coarse shreds.
Spread the shreds of bread on 2 large, rimmed baking sheets.
Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss the bread to coat thoroughly.
Bake the bread on the upper and lower oven racks for about 20 minutes, shifting the baking sheets between racks halfway through or until the shreds are golden brown and lightly crisp. Let the toasted bread cool.
Melt the butter in a medium skillet.
Add the sliced garlic and cook over moderately low heat for about 3 minutes, stirring once or twice until fragrant and golden brown.
Add the sliced scallions and sliced celery ribs and cook for about 6 minutes over moderately low heat, stirring once or twice, until the scallions are softened but the sliced celery is still slightly crisp.
Just before serving the bread salad, transfer the toasted bread to a very large bowl. Add the toasted pumpkin seeds and the chopped celery leaves.
Reheat the scallion mixture over moderately high heat until sizzling. Stir in the sherry and simmer for 30 seconds.
Scrape the scallion mixture over the toasted bread in the bowl and toss until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper and serve at once
Make-Ahead: The bread salad can be prepared early in the day and stored at room temperature. Reheat the scallion mixture and toss with the toasted bread just before serving.
