I hate wasting food. I make mini pots of jam from a few berries lurking in the fridge, no wrinkled pepper is safe from the preserving pan and those browning bananas just have to be cake!
But what of the really basic stuff, bread. While my sheep love to nibble on the odd slice and the chickens will fairly dance for a few crumbs, I do like to use as much of it in the house as possible.
We love sourdough bread and find it lasts longer than most loaves in our trusty old bread box. However even it has to give up the ghost eventually. While I make breadcrumbs and stock the freezer with bags ready for coating fish and chicken I also make these simple homemade crispbreads, dried slices or toasts and keep them in a jar.
They are just like those French style crispbreads that used to be really popular back in the eighties and are still very common in France. While you can buy them in the supermarket it is super easy to make your own and a great way to use up aging bread.
I make mine just by slicing my favourite bread into 1cm/1/2″ pieces and laying them out on a wire rack.
Pop this into the oven at the lowest setting and leave for an hour to dry out completely. For me this means the coolest oven on the aga.
After that the toasts are crisp and completely dried out let them cool completely and store in an airtight container. They will keep for months like this.
I just store my homemade crispbreads in a big jar on the kitchen dresser and they are perfect with jam or cheese or just to crumble into a nice bowl of soup at lunch time.
Hardly a recipe really, but a good larder standby that saves a few pennies now and then.
Karon x
Sue says
September 11, 2013 at 10:36 amYou know I never even though of doing this for me, I love crispbreads and they are so handy for a little nibble or to dunk in soups. Usually I dry out stale bread in the oven and give it to the dogs instead of their usual mixer.
But now it’s mine all mine 🙂
Paivi says
September 11, 2013 at 3:48 pmMy Mum used to make crispbread in the wood oven, the hatch slightly ajar. Dark rye bread sticks made this way taste so good!
Patti S. says
September 11, 2013 at 9:08 pmThis is a neat trick. I usually throw my old bread out or the birds, but I am going to try this. Ow do you think of all these good ideas, Karon! Thanks for sharing!
Patti xxoo
Karon says
September 12, 2013 at 7:41 amGlad you are all enjoying the crispbreads. Get using up that old bread ladies, somewhere great to spread those gorgeous preserves!
Thanks for your nice comments today.
K x
Sylvia Fraser says
September 1, 2017 at 4:04 pm2nD Attempt – Great idea as I have home made breadcrumbs coming out of my ears. You mentioned Sour Dough, I love it, but one of the few things that I am still trying to master is my own starter. Do you have your own starter nourishing away? xx
Karon Grieve says
September 4, 2017 at 9:21 amwill have to do a post on that when I have time…..
K x
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Karon Grieve says
July 13, 2018 at 8:04 amI post once a week and that is fine for me thanks.