I believe that the recession (and scenes of famine in the world) forced many of us to rethink of how much food we throw away, and is it somehow possible to reuse it?
Here are a few ideas how to use stale bread, which honestly really isn't tasty after few days despite all the additives.
1.
Fried bread
slices of stale bread
3 eggs
0.02 gallons of milk (it's half a cup)*
salt
sunflower oil for frying - not much, just enough to cover the surface of the pan
*Note: originally I have used milliliters, since we use the metric system in Europe, but I have recalculated it for you. Here is a great calculator for doing so.
The preparation is very simple - cut the bread into slices and dip it shortly in a mixture of eggs, salt and milk. The bread should be a day or two old, not too dry, because it will break while you cut it and you won't be able to form nice, regular slices. Moreover, you shouldn't cut in too thin slices, because they will fall apart when soaked in the eggs and milk.
Now it is ready for frying in hot oil on both sides. For quicker preparation, bake it "in parallel", meaning in two pans at once, and use a pancake knife for turning it around. It should be served and eaten immediately, it isn't very tasty when cooled. It's great in combination with sour cream or Philadelphia soft cream cheese.
2. Warm sandwiches
slices of bread
1 sour cream
2 eggs
0.8 oz* of turkey ham
0.8 oz of a semi-hard cheese
salt
oregano
2 oz mushrooms
*Note: originally I have used grams, since we use the metric system in Europe, but I have recalculated it for you. Here is a great calculator for doing so.
Buy a ham and cheese cut into slices and cut them yourself into even smaller pieces (because it will be easier to spread the mixture on bread slices evenly). Then mix sour cream, eggs, turkey ham and cheese and mushrooms if you like them, in a separate bowl.
Spread some butter (don't melt it - here's why) over your baking pan and put in the slices of bread and spread the mixture over bread. Bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees* (be near the oven, it's over quickly, depending on how thick you spread the mixture). When you see that they are almost done, pour some milk in the pan and leave it for five minutes in the oven. This step is necessary for the sandwiches not to get too dry.
*Again, I've used Celsius degrees - so I've heated my oven at 180 Celsius degrees which is around 350 in Fahrenheit. Here's another great calculator for temperature equivalent.
3. Bread casserole
20 oz stale bread
0.05 gallons sour cream (it's one cup here in Europe) - I am using the one with 20% fat because it has fuller taste
just a bit of sunflower oil, otherwise it's too greasy
4 oz cottage cheese
5 eggs
salt
Parmesan cheese
Spread some butter over a baking pan (again, don't melt it - here's why). Cut old bread into cubes and pour into the baking pan. Stir the eggs, sour cream, oil, salt and cream cheese. Pour mixture over the bread and stir well again. Sprinkle Parmesan and bake it in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. You know it's over when it gets brown stains on the top.
Note: if you're like my hubby and "can't live without meat", put some ham/prosciutto slices over the bread mixture (before adding Parmesan).
*Again, I've used Celsius degrees - so I've heated my oven at 200 Celsius degrees which is around 400 in Fahrenheit. Here's another great calculator for temperature equivalent.
4.
Bread crumbs
If the bread is already so old that it is cracking and crumbling even when cut by an electric knife, it is not suitable for the recipes above.
In this case, I leave it to dry completely, but I cut it into smaller pieces before leaving it to dry (so that later I can easily put it in the grinder hole). You can spread it in a larger bowl near the stove or radiator. Given that I have two curious little girls who would definitely topple it and scatter it on the floor, then I wrap it in paper (plain paper, not plastic bag, otherwise it gets that awful green stains) and leave the bread in the kitchen. After a few days, the bread is ready for grinding into crumbs, I use a grinder for walnuts (again I remind you that it is important to cut it into smaller pieces before it's totally dry).
I store the crumbs in tightly sealed glass or plastic containers. In that way, they can last for several months without any visible changes in the smell or the taste, just store it in a dry and cool place. All kinds of bread are appropriate for this recipe.
Breadcrumbs are usually used for frying meat, or with plums dumplings.
5 ,
As an ingredient of meat loaf
Another use of the stale and very dry bread.
a few slices of stale bread - any type of bread
hot water / milk - enough to cover the bread entirely
1 egg
20 oz minced meat
spices: salt, pepper, red sweet pepper
butter
Parmesan cheese and / or bread crumbs
Soak bread slices in warm water or milk (soak it deeply, it's not enough if it just floats on the surface). Leave it for a while. In the meantime, stir 1 egg, 20 oz minced meat, salt, pepper, and red sweet pepper. Drain the bread and stir it into the mixture. Spread the butter over a baking pan (don't melt it - here's why) and pour the mixture in the pan.
Optionally, you can sprinkle the Parmesan cheese and / or bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees* for about half an hour.
Bon apetit!
*Again, I've used Celsius degrees - so I've heated my oven at 180 Celsius degrees which is around 350 in Fahrenheit. Here's another great calculator for temperature equivalent.
P.S. I've also shared this post at this awesome linky party:
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