So your sourdough bread obsession has gone to the next level, but now you’re making so much you don’t know what to do with it?
Fear not! Tough bread ends and stale sourdough crusts can all be saved. Here are our top ideas for what to do with a glut of stale sourdough bread.
Don’t let it go stale
Okay, so this is a bit of a no-brainer, but pre-cutting and freezing your loaves is a great way to ensure you don’t end up swamped by stale bread.
You could also try regifting homemade loaves while fresh (in the hope that perhaps the universe, or your neighbour, will be ready to repay you in kind when you find yourself in need).
Breadcrumbs
Sourdough breadcrumbs are delish and much fancier than a carton of crummies. Cut or tear slices into smaller pieces before they get too hard. Save them up until you have an oven tray-full. Then toast lightly in an oven at 170c for 5-10 minutes.
You can also add herbs at this stage for really fancy crumbs. Pop cooled bread in a paper bag and bash with a rolling pin for rustic crumbs. For really fine crumbs, crush in a mortar and pestle or pass through a grain mill. Store in an airtight jar or the freezer for longer-term use.
Bread and butter pudding
There are lots of recipes to use up stale bread (eggy bread, summer pudding and ribollita to name a few). But far and away our fave is to make a fancy sourdough bread and butter pudding. We just butter bread liberally, arrange in a buttered pan. Scatter with berries and a few spoonfuls of sugar.
Whisk a few eggs with a dash of milk and sugar to taste. Pour over bread, dust with nutmeg and bake in a 180c oven for 25 minutes until puffy and set.
Return it to the fold
Believe it or not, bread can be recycled into… bread! You can add it in like you would add seeds or grains. It adds toasty depth of flavour and texture.
Make breadcrumbs as above, but ensure you mill them as finely as possible by passing through a grain mill. Then add them in to your next mix!
Crostini
Also known as “mini toasts” crostini is the fancy (and Italian) way of saying bread crackers. Slice stale bread as thinly as possible (about 5mm). Brush either side with good quality olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 180c for 10 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Store in an airtight container.
Would you like more sourdough recipes?
Try out our recipes for sourdough bread, sourdough crackers, sourdough pasta, sourdough crumpets and sourdough hot cross buns!
