A hearty, delicious Greek-inspired panzanella salad with grilled pita bread, spinach and feta chicken sausages and a tangy, garlicky lemon mint vinaigrette. This is an ideal meal for summer alfresco dining.
Preheat the oven to 375°. Place the bell peppers on a sheet pan lined with foil or parchment paper and roast the peppers for 30 minutes or until the skins are blackened and the flesh is soft. Remove from the oven and transfer to a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Let sit until the peppers are cool enough to handle.
ASSEMBLE THE SALAD:
While the peppers are cooking/cooling, prep the salad. Into a large bowl, add the cucumber, red onions, kalamata olives, tomatoes, pepperoncini peppers, artichokes, sun dried tomatoes and green onions. Toss to combine.
MAKE THE LEMON MINT VINAIGRETTE:
In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, combine the zest and juice from two lemons, garlic, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, capers and pepperoncini juice. Whisk together to combine. Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly until the dressing is emulsified. Stir in the fresh mint and parsley and set aside.
FOR THE SAUSAGES:
Preheat the grill to 400°.
Lightly brush the pita with olive oil on both sides.
Bring a shallow pan of water to a low simmer over medium low heat. Add the sausages and simmer for 5-8 minutes, turning once until the sausages are poached and mostly cooked. Do not boil the sausages or they could burst.
Remove the sausages from the pan and place on a baking sheet. Lightly brush the sausages with the remaining olive oil.
Place the sausages on the grill and cook on each side about 3-4 minutes or until the sausages take on a bit of color and grill marks. Transfer the sausages to a platter.
FOR GRILLED PITA BREAD:
Brush both sides of the pita bread with olive oil and place the pitas, bubbly side up on the grill. Heat the bread for 2-3 minutes or until it starts to brown and take on the grill marks. You'll also notice that the bread will puff and swell a bit. Flip the pitas and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.
ASSEMBLE THE PANZANELLA:
Cut the pita bread into one inch pieces and add to the vegetables. Lightly dress the salad with a few tablespoons of the dressing and toss to coat. If it needs more dressing, add it one or two tablespoons at a time, but don't overdress. Any remaining dressing can be spooned over another salad or used to dress a piece of chicken or fish the next day (also good for dipping with extra pita bread).
Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and cut the sausages into large chunks. Arrange the sausages in the bowl with the salad and serve.