Two Breadcrumb Tips

I cooked two meals involving breadcrumbs last week, and as a result have a couple of culinary tips:

For crisp breadcrumbs to sprinkle over a finished dish

Toast some bread until dark but not burned. Allow to cool. Break up the toast and put in a food processor. Whizz until you get the desired crumb size, then sprinkle over. This gives you nice crisp crumbs without having to fry them, and also they are lower in fat.

For breadcrumbs on a dish to be baked or grilled

Take some bread and break into pieces. Put in a food processor and whizz until the crumb size is right. Put the soft breadcrumbs in a bowl, and add a small amount of olive oil. Using your finger, stir the oil through the breadcrumbs gently. Sprinkle over your bake or gratin, then they will go crisp and golden under the grill or in the oven.