Do you ever have, from time to time, pieces of stale bread that you don’t know how to use? Don’t throw them away (ever!) but make pangrattato (breadcrumbs) at home instead.

Cut the bread into pieces, toss them into a food processor fitted with a blade, whizzing until you have breadcrumbs of the size you prefer.

How can you use it? To make vegetables au gratin, for meatballs and burgers softer and softer, or to add a special and crunchy texture to your pasta dish.

Here I have collected 3 quick and easy recipe to use for the next time you will need and inspiration for your breadcrumbs. You can even cook them for the same meal, having a menu … all made of breadcrumbs.
Enjoy your reading and your cooking then!

AUBERGINE POLPETTE WITH MINT
(main picture)

Ingredients for 2 persons
1 aubergine
2 garlic cloves
1 handful of fresh mint leaves
extra-virgin olive oil
8 spoons of pangrattato (breadcrumb)
1 lemon
salt
pepper

Time: 45 minutes

Let’s cook!

Cut the aubergine in cubes (2×2 cm) and cook them in a pan with a little of olive oil (half spoon) and the garlic, for 10-15 minutes at medium temperature.

Put the aubergine and the garlic in a tall and narrow container, together with the mint leaves and with a hand blender, make a coarse puree. Add 4 spoons of breadcrumbs, the pepper and the zest of 1/2 lemon. Mix until you get a compact texture (while you lift it with a spoon, it doesn’t have to fall from it). If it is necessary, add some more breadcrumbs.

Using your hands, make 6 breadballs, coat them with the remaining breadcrumbs and cook them in pre-heated oven, 180 C degrees for 25-30 minutes, until they become golden. Serve them with a sprinkle of lemon juice if you like.

HOT LINGUINE WITH GARLIC, ANCHOVIES AND PANGRATTATO

Ingredients for 2 persons
200 g of linguine
6 garlic cloves
10 anchovy fillets in oil
3 spoons of extra-virgin olive oil
2 dried chili peppers
3 spoons of breadcrumbs
salt
parsley (optional)

Time: 15 minutes

Let’s cook!

Put a pot of water to boil (100 C degrees).
In the meantime, toast the breadcrumbs in a pan with 1 spoon of olive oil. When it is golden brown, set it aside in a plate.

In the same pan, sauté the garlic and the chili for a few minutes, until they become golden. Then add the anchovies and let the melt.

Cook the pasta and drain it very al dente (2-3 minutes before the cooking time), remembering to spare some cooking water. Toss the pasta in the pan with the oil and complete the cooking with 2-3 spoons of cooking water.

Serve immediately with the toasted breadcrumbs and a few parsley leaves if you like.

GRATINATED SEASONAL VEGETABLES 

Ingredients
Choose your favorite seasonal vegetables
in the amount you like.
I had zucchini, spring onions, tomatoes
200 g of linguine
breadcrumbs
extra-virgin olive oil
salt
black pepper
your favourite fresh herbs (I had thyme)

Time: 30 minutes

Let’s cook!

Cut the vegetables into even pieces: I cut my small zucchini in half, the spring onions and the tomatoes into slides.

Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over them, add a little of olive oil and cook them for 25-30 minutes in a pre-heated over 180 C degrees, until they become golden.
Tip: if you are cooking for 2 persons, you can bake the aubergine polpette (see previous recipe) and the gratinated vegetables at the same time, in the same baking tray.

Add the salt, the black pepper and the chopped herbs just before serving them.