In the UK around 22 million slices of bread are wasted every day. This statistic horrifies me. Bread is 'the staff of life' - in the Jewish tradition, it is considered sinful to throw away bread. I often have an odd crust leftover - not enough to make a sandwich - so I will put it into the freezer in a bag. Last week I defrosted the freezer. 
I had a bag full - so I ripped up the crusts and dropped them in the air fryer. 35 minutes at 130°, then left them to cool. Blitzed them in the food processor, and now they are back in the freezer ready to be used in cooking. So quick and easy. And Zero-Waste.
Thirty years ago, I would have dried them overnight in the oven [after cooking something else at a higher temperature]. And then put them in a large plastic bag and smashed them up with a rolling pin. Now I let the gadgets do the work, using the electricity from the solar panels.
What's your favourite way of using dried bread crumbs?
Mixed with Parmesan on top of a pasta bake, mixed with some oil from a tin of anchovies and sprinkled on a robust salad (not lettuce). Treacle tart!
ReplyDeleteI can never understand throwing away bread.
Jill
I like the anchovy-oil tip. Thank you
DeleteI' currently saving breadcrumbs to make my Christmas puds. I'm making around 18-20 this year so I need a lot of crumbs. Puds make an acceptable Christmas present and I get piccalilli, mince pies, sausage rolls in return so my breadcrumbs are definitely not wasted!
ReplyDeleteThey sound delicious
DeleteI do the same as you and then sprinkle on to veg, macaroni cheese. Sometimes I make wonky croutons for soup-light oil spray and into the airfyer. Catriona
ReplyDeleteNot made croutons in air fryer (but I will now!)
DeleteThanks Ang, I never thought of putting them back in the freezer after blitzing. I always put them in a jam jar in the cupboard and then don’t use all of it for ages and have to bin them.
ReplyDeleteYes. I have made that mistake too!
DeleteI make croutons in the oven (when cooking something else) from left over or hard bread!
ReplyDeleteLong live croutons?!
DeleteLeftover bread is a problem in this house, and I'm searching through the comments for ideas. It doesn't help that DH and bear eat standard bread that I can't touch because gluten makes me ill. Before, and when DH briefly switched to GF bread, I could use up the ends with french toast or with soup.
ReplyDeleteI can see the gluten issue is a problem. Can you perhaps freeze leftovers in boxes with red or green lids, so you know which is 'sare'?
DeleteI would use them mixed with cheese and herbs as a topping on various dishes. I like the idea of putting the blitzed mix back in the freezer for future use. Thank you for that tip, Angela.
ReplyDeleteToppings is a good use
DeleteI tear them up and feed them to my chooks. I’m allergic to grain so only have bread around when a son is visiting.
ReplyDeletePerhaps LM (above) should keep chickens - the leftover bread would feed them, and she would have eggs to eat
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