Bread Crumbs & Croutons

Diana Rattray, Southern Food Expert

(bread)

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• Bread, preferably good quality bakery bread or homemade, with or without crusts.
• Olive oil, plain or flavored
• Kosher salt
• fresh finely chopped parsley, optional.

Instructions

1. Cut or tear fresh or day-old bread into smaller pieces and pulse briefly in a food processor to make coarse or fine bread crumbs. Alternatively, you could also cut slices of good quality bakery or homemade bread into small croutons.
2. For fine, dry bread crumbs, process or crush them finely after toasting.
3. Heat oven to 325°F.
4. Put the bread crumbs in a bowl and toss them with a plain or flavored olive oil, about 1 tablespoon per cup of bread crumbs.
5. Sprinkle with a small amount of kosher salt or coarse sea salt. If desired, toss them with a little chopped parsley.
6. Arrange the crumbs in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
7. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until nicely browned and dry.
8. If you won't be using them right away, put the crumbs in a food storage bag, seal, and freeze.
9. When you need some for a recipe, measure and let them thaw before using.