SFBI Update: It’s the end of week four, and we’ve been off baguettes for a week, but that doesn’t mean we have any less bread at the end of the day. Plain sourdough four ways, sour rye, multigrain sour, buckwheat levain, ciabatta, overnight baguettes (did I say we were off baguettes? liar!), egg bread, Portuguese sweet bread, more baguettes (I kid you not!), pan sandwich bread.
I give away as much of the stuff as I can. My freezer is now almost completely ruled by bread. Torta di Pane was good but didn’t make an appreciable dent in the supply. Only one thing to do: make toasts. Or if you’re Italian, call them crostini.
What’s not to love about thin crisps that can be made from even stale bread, keep for days-to-weeks, and serve as a platform for just about anything else you might feel like putting in your mouth?
And ever so simple, too. Use any bread that can be sliced thinly. Sometimes this is easier of the bread is a few days old, but if the bread has a dense crumb, like this rye, it doesn’t matter. And if it’s less dense, you’ll probably want to slice it a little thicker anyway, so you don’t get the things that are supposed to be on the crostini slipping through the crostini and onto your lap.
Put the slices on a baking sheet and dry them in a 300-degree oven for as long as it takes to get them dry. This will depend on how moist the bread is to begin with, and how thick the slices are. Mine were about 5 mm thick, and they took about 15 minutes to dry. You can brush them with oil before baking, but then they won’t keep as long. I left mine naked.
Once they’re cool, put them in an airtight container, and that’s that.
Then eat whatever you like on them. This one has egg salad, tomato, and spinach-arugula pesto. A few of these made a pretty good Sunday lunch.
Of course, I’ll still be eating them on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and possibly Friday. Meanwhile, more bread will be screaming for attention. Hmm. Anyone want me to send you some crostini?
How about I fund one of those USPS flat rate boxes and you fill it with whatever! Ha.
This cuts to the heart of my most basic baking frustration: I’d bake a whole lot more if I had something to do with my “overproduction” – there’s just so much bread, no matter how good it is, that one can eat!
Nice idea. Tasty and economical at the same time
I can imagine how overwhelming that must be!
Only with the BBA Challenge (which means I’m baking maybe twice/week), I already find my freezer loaded with all sorts of breads…
the other day I got some of it out and turned into breadcrumbs in the food processor – at least they can go back into the freezer occupying less space, and they are delicious!
🙂
Sally beat me to it… I was going to suggest bread crumbs, strata, croutons. Careful what you wish for eh? Your family is going to be so sick of bread pretty soon. lol!
You could always donate to the local food bank and write it off on your taxes.
Your bread basket runneth over!
Sounds like you are having an awesome time. 🙂
Me me! I live in the bay area. I’ll come collect your overstocked items =)
PS, Hi Susan, I’ve been lurking on your site for over a year now. I’ve made quite a few loaves from your recipes. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge!
I’m with drfugawe. If I pay for the flat rate box, will you just stuff it with goodies? I’m flat-on-my-backside pregnant and can’t bake to save my life. I need good bread! Mmmm, crostini… how you scream to be an open-face sandwich.
I just don’t know how you eat all that bread, but what a wonderful passion to have.
Not long ago, the SFChronicle had an article and a bunch of recipes about what to do with left-over bread. What I am curious to know is the various intensities of sour-dough, from very sour to mild. Did you cover that in class? If so, can you let us in on the subtleties? Thanks always.
Please send bread to me. I’ll take it off your hands, ’cause I’m nice that way! 😉
Sounds like you are making bread non-stop…
The buckwheat levain sounds very interesting!
Have fun…
I’m with drfugawe – will you send me your extra bread if I pay for the USPS flat rate box? That Sunday (and Monday, and Tuesday, and…) lunch looks pretty darn tasty! 😀
I can see your predicament. I now have three lovely, delicious loafs of rye bread, but have more sourdough to use … ah, the English muffins are all gone – I should make more … in the meantime the rye bread will get dry, etc. I will give at least one bread away tonight at my German GNO!!!