I’m probably revealing too much when I say that I get excited about breadcrumbs, but I am what I am. I’m not talking about the sawdust that you buy in cardboard tubes in the supermarket. It serves its purposes, like soaking up liquid and adding bland bulk to dishes like meatballs, but it’s not very interesting. I’m talking about crisp, golden brown homemade breadcrumbs, more like granulated toast than powdered bread. A handful of these nuggets adds crunch, color and toasty flavor to pureed soups (like tomato or pumpkin), vegetables (like buttered beans or roasted Brussels sprouts) and pasta dishes. I always have a bag of them in the freezer. And, since you make them out of leftover stale bread, they have the added virtue of being free.
Whenever we’ve got some bread that’s past its prime (which is often in a household of a one year-old and two middle aged, carb-aware men), this is what I do.
1.Preheat oven to 375F. Cut off the crusts. I trim off the flat bottom of the loaf as closely as I can, but leave some of the spongy innards attached to the crust on the top and sides. I freeze these pieces separately and use them to make croutons for Caesar salad (but that’s another post).
2. Cut the bread into large cubes and pulse in a food processor until it’s the consistency of coarse sawdust. (The drier your bread, the faster this will happen.)
3. Spread the breadcrumbs on a four-sided baking sheet, drizzle with about a tablespoon of olive oil and toss to coat evenly.
4. Bake for 5-10 minutes until golden brown. Watch them closely –after a few minutes they will color quickly, especially if your bread is very dry.
The finished breadcrumbs will keep for days on the shelf or months in the freezer.
