Bread Crumbs

Preparation

1. Bread crumbs have two very appealing characteristics: They are simple to make, and they are an economical use of odds and ends of unsweetened breads. Keep fresh unused bread in a resealable plastic storage bag until you have a few handfuls’ worth. Bread crumbs can be either fresh or dried. For fresh, simply remove the crusts from the bread, place the bread in the bowl of a food processor, and process until fine. For dried bread crumbs, toast the bread in a 250°F oven until fully dried out, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the bread cool, and process until fine. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, up to 1 week, or in the freezer, up to 6 months. Never use stale bread to make bread crumbs: They will taste that way—stale. Bread crumbs can also be made from darker breads. These somewhat earthier crumbs add interesting flavor to gratins and breaded meats.