Article produced in partnership with Galbani
In France, around 20 kg of food are wasted per person each year. Bread is among the foods most often thrown away.
In practical terms, what can you do with stale bread? It all depends on its condition. Bread that is 1 to 2 days old toasts perfectly in the oven or under the broiler. Drier bread can be easily grated to make homemade breadcrumbs, useful for breading cutlets, topping vegetables with cheese, or thickening soup.
Crumpled and soaked in milk or broth, it is used in meatballs, stuffings, or croquettes. Cut into cubes and baked with a drizzle of olive oil, it becomes golden croutons for your salads. Nothing goes to waste, as long as you know what to do at the right time.
So, what should you do with your stale bread? Why not start with an Italian bruschetta — the ultimate anti-waste solution! Simple, delicious, and convivial, traditional Italian cuisine is full of recipes that give it a second life: Tuscan panzanella, Florentine ribollita, pappa al pomodoro… And of course, bruschetta.
The principle is always the same: stale bread, toasted in the oven or on the grill, regains a crispy, golden texture that gives it a completely different character. It becomes the ideal base for generous toppings.
A simple habit to adopt: before throwing away a forgotten baguette or a partly eaten country loaf, ask yourself what Italian dish you could make with it!
Italian-style baked bruschetta: the recipe
Serves 2
Preparation: 15 min
Cooking: 30 min
Ingredients
- 4 slices of stale bread (baguette, country loaf, or sandwich bread)
- 3 ripe tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 Mozzarella di Latte di Bufala Galbani
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano D.O.P Galbani
- 4 slices of cured ham
- 1 green salad
- Fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt, pepper
Preparation
- Peel and thinly slice the onion. Sauté it in a tablespoon of olive oil until golden.
- Cut the tomatoes into cubes, add them to the pan with the onion. Stir in a minced garlic clove and a few basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat for 20 min.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet. If the bread is very dry, lightly dip them in a little water before baking them; they will be even softer in the center.
- Rub each slice with the second garlic clove, then generously top with tomato sauce.
- Place slices of Mozzarella di Latte di Bufala Galbani on each slice of bread and sprinkle with grated Parmigiano Reggiano D.O.P Galbani.
- Bake for 5 to 10 min, until the cheese is well melted and lightly browned.
- Serve on a bed of green salad dressed with olive oil and vinegar, with a few rolls of cured ham and some walnuts for crunch.
Variations
Want to mix things up? Here are a few ideas depending on your taste:
- Vegetarian version: replace the ham with grilled vegetables (eggplant, bell pepper, mushrooms) and sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano Galbani before baking.
- Gourmet version: spread the slices with a thin layer of Gorgonzola before adding the tomatoes. The cheese’s mildness pairs perfectly with the tomatoes’ acidity.
- Sweet version (for snack time): replace the savory topping with a spoonful of Mascarpone, a few fresh strawberries, and a drizzle of honey.
