Wandering through Puglia reminded us how special it feels to “discover” new things that other cultures have depended on for generations. As we vacationed there with our family recently, we found ourselves drawn to the markets, of course, where we tried carosello and barattieri, two similar types of round heirloom muskmelons that taste more like cucumber than melon. In the southern Italian heat, they called to be part of a classic panzanella salad, which traditionally incorporates toasted torn bread pieces that soak up the salad’s vinaigrette–a perfect lunch or light dinner when it’s too hot to eat anything heavy. We also used thinly sliced capocollo, a cured Italian ham similar to coppa, and enhanced its natural saltiness with a quick vinaigrette made with capers and anchovies–all ingredients that are part of Puglia’s food culture. We made our new take on panzanella over and over during our trip, and have brought it home with us, substituting regular cucumbers for the striped carosello or round barattieri.

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
• 6 good-quality anchovy filets in olive oil, roughly chopped
• Fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, smashed, skin removed
• 2 to 3 large slices ciabatta bread or rustic loaf, torn into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
• 4 handfuls fresh arugula, washed and dried
• 2 whole pieces burrata cheese
• 1 large cucumber (English or regular) or carosello or barattieri melons, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 12 to 15 thin slices capocollo or other coppa-style ham
• 1 pound mixed cherry tomatoes, cut into halves and/or wedges
• 1 large peach, cut into slices
• 12 fresh basil leaves, for garnish