Innovative Bread Crumbs Usage?

I finally got around to processing all the leftover/rock hard baguette pieces taking up valuable counter space. I must have 10-12 cups of bread crumbs. Now what? (Family of two!) I already had some in the freezer and I would really rather give them away or use them up asap. What can I do with them to use up the most possible? Their typical uses: stuffing veggies, coating things for frying, crab cakes etc.-- is not going to use up many of them.

I was wondering if I could somehow turn them into cheese crackers (a major weakness of mine)? Could i mix them with shredded cheese and butter and cayenne , and pat down a thin layer on a sheet pan? Score it before baking? or would they not hold together?
or
what about making a crust with melted butter (like a graham cracker crust) in a roasting pan and doing a gratin or quiche on top of that?
Has anyone actually seen anything like these ideas? or others? Thx so much for your help!

LeBec Fin
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13 Comments

jessicamclement
jessicamclement May 4, 2015
i'm not sure if this recipe will be the trick, since it only uses around 1/2 cup breadcrumbs depending on the recipe that you find... but there is a lebanese (/middle eastern) dip called muhammara with walnuts, tomato paste, and roasted peppers that uses breadcrumbs. it's extremely delicious and if you're a big family you could double the recipe! good luck :)
 
selena
selena May 2, 2015
Lets put our heads together and develop a savory crust recipe using coarse bread crumbs (aka like graham cracker crust for sweet recipe). Its a great idea... So obviously we add butter but do we need an egg too? Thoughts?
 
LeBec F.
LeBec F. May 3, 2015
I'm thinking butter, parm or cheddar, salt, cayenne. don't think egg is necessary (cheese would melt and bind) but am unsure.
 
dinner A.
dinner A. April 23, 2015
If your breadcrumbs are on the coarse side, you could make apple brown betty. I've seen it made either with small cubes of bread or with breadcrumbs, but I think very fine bread crumbs might give it an odd texture.
 
ChefJune
ChefJune April 23, 2015
I like to toast breadcrumbs and add fresh herbs to top seafood pasta or risotto dishes. Your idea for a crumb crust a la graham cracker would surely be a great idea. You could go sweet or savory with them.
And why not give your cheese cracker idea a whirl? Sounds like a good idea.
 
pierino
pierino April 23, 2015
A classic Sicilian treatment is "mollica" where the bread crumbs are first browned in olive oil and then added to finished pasta. Maybe with some grated bottarrga or capers, anchovies etc.
 
Garlic F.
Garlic F. April 23, 2015
I have seen recipes for using the bread crumbs to...make more bread :) Might not be the best solution here, huh? Sorry. Not helpful. My husband's solution will be to make lots of meat balls
 
QueenSashy
QueenSashy April 23, 2015
I like to use them on pasta... Suzanne has a wonderful recipe on the site https://food52.com/recipes/16421-white-pasta-with-garlic-parmigiano-breadcrumbs I also often make this one https://food52.com/recipes/26889-spaghetti-with-anchovy-spiked-olive-oil-parmesan-breadcrumbs
 
irina
irina April 23, 2015
I don't know why those cheese crisps wouldn't work. Sound good to me!
 
sfmiller
sfmiller April 23, 2015
I've made a dry-bread-crumb crust in the manner of a graham cracker crust. It works.

My very frugal mother made pancakes with dry bread crumbs that she soaked in milk or buttermilk, then added eggs, vanilla, a little flour, and sometimes cinnamon or nutmeg. They were pretty good, sort of like french toast in pancake form. I don't have an exact recipe (and I doubt that she did), but googling "bread crumb pancakes" turns up a bunch of them.

 
selena
selena May 2, 2015
What exactly did you do?
 
Lost_in_NYC
Lost_in_NYC April 23, 2015
- Season them to your liking and give away as gifts with a spring vegetable (or two) and recipe as to how to use them w/the vegetable
- Use as a topping for baked pasta dishes and go a little crazy w/the amount.
- Make baklava in mini-muffin tins and mix the bread crumbs into the nut filling to give it a meaty flavor. (personally have done this and love it!)
- When making burgers, patties, etc, incorporate the 'crumbs into the mixture
- Bread pudding
 
Nancy
Nancy April 23, 2015
to riff on the bread pudding - it can be (traditional) sweet, or a more unusual savoury version. Use cheese, some eggs, some sauce, vegetables, nuts - whatever you have or like, bake and serve as a lunch dish with salad or starchy side dish to a dinner.
 
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