Garlic Herb Pangrattato

“Pangrattato is a crispy Italian breadcrumb topping and a delicious way to give leftover bread a new life. Toasted with garlic, herbs and lemon, it adds golden crunch and savoury flavour to pasta, salads, soups and roasted vegetables.”

Difficulty

Beginner

Yield

About 2 cups

Ingredients

300 grams day-old bread, torn into pieces3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil2 cloves garlic, finely grated or minced1 teaspoon dried thyme1 teaspoon dried rosemary1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped Zest of 1 lemon

Equipment

Cutting boardParing knifeMeasuring cupsMeasuring spoonsFood processorLarge frying panWooden spoonBaking sheetRaspTasting spoons

Gather your mise en place; get together all of the equipment needed for the recipe and gather your ingredients.

Tear the bread into small pieces.

Add the bread to a food processor and pulse until it forms coarse breadcrumbs. Be careful not to process the bread too finely; pangrattato should have plenty of texture.

Finely grate or mince the garlic.

Finely chop the parsley.

Zest the lemon, being careful to remove only the bright yellow peel and not the bitter white pith.

Measure the olive oil, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

Add the breadcrumbs, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper.

Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the breadcrumbs are crisp and evenly golden brown. Watch them carefully because they can burn quickly.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped parsley and lemon zest.

Taste the pangrattato and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Spread the pangrattato onto a baking sheet and allow it to cool completely before serving or storing.