Bread Crumbs

Breadcrumbs are one of the essentials in the kitchen. They are used in meatballs and meatloaf, as topping on casseroles and desserts, or as a coating on pan-fried or oven baked meats and vegetables. Fresh breadcrumbs are easily made at home. It is a good way of using up what is left of bread a few days passed its peak of freshness. One slice of bread makes about 1/2 cup breadcrumbs.

How to make Bread Crumbs?

Cut bread into slices and trim off crusts. Break into pieces and place in food processor. Pulse on and off until crumbs reach coarse to fine texture consistency. It is better when crumbs are irregularly shaped. They produce a crunchier coating. Store in the freezer in a tightly covered container. Freshly made bread crumbs can also be seasoned. Toss crumbs with a little olive oil. Bake in the oven (300 °F/150 °C) until crisp and sprinkle with garlic, herbs and spices of your choice. Dried bread crumbs can be produced by drying out slices of bread in the oven (200 °F/100 °C) for about 1 hour. Do not let the bread brown. Remove from oven, cool only slightly then break into pieces and process.