Don't toss out that stale bread just yet.

Don't toss out that stale bread just yet.

 

For many people, stale bread is a useless, tooth breaking, crunchy, and unappetizing food. Usually day olds are tossed and we never think twice about how we can adapt those stale baguettes into a new dish. But here are some ideas you should consider before chucking those old breads in the trash can.

You don’t need a fresh steaming loaf of bread straight from the oven in order to make a dish classy. In fact, many traditional recipes throughout Europe incorporate day old breads into their repertoire. It’s both a frugal and sensible way to utilize ingredients otherwise thought of as useless. 

 

Where would British cuisines like puddings, stuffings, and trifles be without their day olds? What about Italian Panzanella salad. Without hard bread bits to add texture and flavor and sop up those tomato juices it would be another caprese salad. And of course what would French onion soap be without its crouton? 

 

Most importantly, stale breads are the best means to absorb those flavors and juices that make the dish what it is. Here are a few recipe ideas that allow you to save and recycle those stale day olds.

 

French onion soup au gratin

Fattoush salad: This is a Middle Eastern version of the Panzanella salad.

Linguine with cherry tomatoes and breadcrumb gremolata: Fact, while dining in a restaurant in Italy, it is customary to sop up that extra juice with bread. It’s a compliment to the chef.

Cheese fondue

Chocolate rum raisin bread pudding: In this recipe, the staler the bread the better. Dry bread absorbs the chocolate custard more which is essential.

 

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