What to cook with yesterday's bread

Bread doesn't go stale because it spoils: the starch in the crumb releases moisture over time and hardens again. That's harmless. Mould is what's dangerous — and that's a different story. Yesterday's loaf, flatbread or baguette is a great ingredient if you know what to do with it.

1. Revive it in the oven

Sprinkle the crust with water and put the bread in the oven at 150–180 °C for 5–10 minutes. The starch takes up moisture again, the crumb softens and the crust crisps. It works with non flatbread too: wrap it in a damp towel and warm it. Eat it right away — once cool it goes stale faster.

2. French toast

Whisk 2 eggs with a glass of milk and a pinch of salt or sugar. Dip slices of bread and fry in butter until golden. Sweet — with honey and fruit; savoury — with cheese and herbs. The drier the bread, the better it soaks up the mix without falling apart.

3. Croutons and breadcrumbs

Cut into cubes, drizzle with oil, salt and dry in the oven at 160 °C for 15–20 minutes, stirring. A crunchy topping for soups and salads. Blitz the rest in a blender for breadcrumbs for cutlets and bakes. Keep them in a dry closed jar.

4. Bread pudding

Yesterday's sweet pastries, buns and loaves suit a pudding: tear them into a dish, pour over 3 eggs, 400 ml milk and 3 spoons of sugar, add raisins or apple and bake for 35–40 minutes at 180 °C.

5. Bread salad

Italian panzanella was invented exactly for stale bread: big cubes, tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, olive oil and a little vinegar. After 15 minutes the bread soaks up the vegetable juices.

When to throw bread away

If bread grows mould, throw out the whole loaf, not just the spot: in soft bread mould threads go deep into the crumb and can't be seen. To make bread last, keep it in a bread bin or a paper bag, and slice and freeze what you won't eat in 2 days. Bread goes stale faster in the fridge than on the counter.