How often do you find yourself throwing out stale
bread? Here’s an easy way to use up those
long-forgotten part-loaves hiding in the back of your fridge. Make fresh bread crumbs.
When I was living in London without a food processor or
Pepperidge Farm stuffing, I made these bread crumbs by hand. It was truly an unpleasant chore, and it
seemed to take hours. I didn’t do it
very often—unless I was craving stuffing balls.
Now with a food processor, it takes just minutes to make a
few cups of fresh bread crumbs. The key
is cutting or tearing the bread into 2-or-3-inch pieces before putting it into
the food processor. If you’re using a
baguette or other chewy bread, cut the pieces half that size because they are
harder to chop.
Fill the food processor 1/4 full and press start. Process until the pieces are about 1/8-inch
across. Transfer the bread crumbs to a
large bowl and continue until all the bread is in crumbs. Take what you need and store leftovers in the
freezer.
FYI, a 15-ounce container of dry bread crumbs (just under
4 cups) costs anywhere from 99 cents to $3.
The difference in taste between fresh and dry is dramatic. And you can’t beat the price.
NOTE: To add more flavor to bread crumbs, mix in 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon chopped garlic and 1/2 teaspoon dried basil or 1/2 teaspoon za’atar (a Middle Eastern spice blend, which may include coriander, cumin, marjoram, sesame seeds, sumac or thyme). Tomatoes halved, filled with spicy fresh bread crumbs and roasted at 350 degrees for 25 minutes make an easy summer side dish.
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