Toasted Bread Crumbs Recipes

TOASTED BREADCRUMBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place bread cubes and salt in a food processor and process until coarse crumbs form. Spread crumbs on a rimmed baking sheet in a thin, even layer. Bake until golden brown, stirring, about 12 to 15 minutes.
• Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack to cool. Keep frozen, in an airtight container, up to 3 months.

TOASTED BREADCRUMBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Using tongs, place bread slices directly on oven racks. Leave in oven until hard and golden brown, about 30 minutes; darker if you prefer. Remove and cool on wire rack.
• Crumble slices into a large bowl until reduced to fine crumbs, or place in bowl of food processor and process until fine.

TOASTED BREAD CRUMB AND BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Toast the bread crumbs in a small skillet (see page 93), tossing and stirring them, until they start to color. When they are almost completely browned, drop in 2 tablespoons of butter. Take the pan off the heat, and swirl it to melt the butter and stop the crumbs from darkening further.
• Melt the remaining butter in a big skillet over medium heat; grind pepper in generously.
• Ladle in 1 cup hot pasta water and cook actively for a couple of minutes, reducing the sauce slightly. Keep at low simmer until the pasta is ready.
• Toss cooked pasta and sauce together in the skillet. Off the heat, toss in the cheese and sprinkle the toasted bread crumbs on top of the pasta, just before serving.
• Follow the recipe for Toasted Bread Crumb and Butter Sauce above, but substitute 2 tablespoons poppy seeds for the crumbs. Toast them in the dry pan until they are fragrant, reserve some for topping if you like, then add the butter and swirl them together.
• Toss cooked pasta and sauce together in the skillet. Off the heat, toss in grated cheese and sprinkle the reserved toasted poppy seeds on top, just before serving. This sauce is especially good with Ricotta Ravioli.
• Egg pasta-tagliatelle
• Cornmeal pasta
• Ricotta Ravioli (page 181)
• Potato, Leek, and Bacon Ravioli (page 186)
• A simple pasta such as rigatoni or linguine

TOASTED BREAD CRUMBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Spread crumbs in a shallow baking pan and bake in middle of oven, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer crumbs to a bowl, then drizzle with oil and season with sea salt. Stir until crumbs are coated.

BUTTERED BREADCRUMBS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a small skillet over medium low heat. As soon as butter is melted and frothy, stir in breadcrumbs. Continue stirring until crumbs are evenly crisp and golden brown.
• If using any of the above mentioned variations add to the finshed buttered breadcrumbs.