A bit long perhaps this title of stale bread pie with potatoes, mozzarella, and smoked bacon 😊 but it already tells everything about this recipe, which was born to recycle stale bread and then, with the simple addition of a little onion and rosemary, became a bread pie (or bread lasagna?) that made a great impression. Simple, light, quick and tasty, what more could you ask for?
And to think that it’s a simple recycling recipe!
I had half a loaf of Tuscan bread (unsalted) that was decidedly stale, not yet hardened but suitable only for recycling. It’s rare for bread to remain in my house, and when it happens it’s usually small quantities that I let dry to make breadcrumbs.
This half loaf was there telling me: what shall we invent tonight that’s never been tried before? Panzanella, no because it’s a summer recipe, so by deduction something baked, more winter-like. So I looked in the fridge where there were two mozzarellas that seemed to suit my purpose and half a pack of bacon waiting to be finished, and so I began to “assemble”.
And here’s the result, just out of the oven! 🤩
〰 〰 〰
If you’re looking for other recycling recipes, look here! 👇
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Anti-Waste
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- Tuscan bread (stale)
- 2 mozzarellas
- 1.8 oz smoked bacon (in cubes)
- 3 potatoes
- 1 clove garlic
- onion
- rosemary
- extra virgin olive oil
- as needed milk
Tools
- Baking Pan
- Frying Pan
Steps
I microwaved 3 potatoes cut into pieces.
I browned the bacon in a small frying pan with very little oil, a slice of coarsely chopped onion, and a clove of garlic.
I cut the bread into slices and arranged them at the bottom of a baking pan (mine is square, measuring 8 inches per side). I slightly wetted them with some milk and a drizzle of oil.
I sprinkled the bread slices with a chopped mozzarella, half of the potatoes, and half of the bacon, and added chopped rosemary.
I covered with a second layer of bread slices and repeated exactly what I just did with the first layer (milk, oil, bacon, potatoes, rosemary, and mozzarella).
I baked for 15 minutes at 428°F. During the last few minutes, I covered the pan because I didn’t want the mozzarella to dry out too much. Adjust according to your oven.
I obtained a soft bread pie, with stretchy mozzarella inside and slightly golden on the outside, with a pleasant rosemary aroma.
Next time I will have to prepare twice the amount, someone in the family protested because “one serving per person is not enough!”. 😃
Salt-Free Tips
If you are interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
▫ Gradually decrease the salt, the palate has to get used to it slowly and should not notice the progressive reduction.
▫ Use spices. Chili, pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
▫ Use aromatic herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
▫ Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
▫ Use spicy vegetables or fruit. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
▫ Use my salt-free vegetable granules and gomasio.
▫ Prefer fresh foods.
▫ Avoid cooking in water, prefer cooking methods that do not disperse flavors (grill, foil, steam, microwave)
▫ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
▫ Occasionally allow yourself to break the rules. It’s good for your mood and helps you persevere.
If you don’t want, or can’t, give up salt:
▫ You can still try my recipes by salting according to your habits.
Follow Me!
On my WhatsApp channel and on Instagram, on the Facebook page, on Pinterest and in my two groups: Catia’s Group, in the Kitchen and Beyond and Just What I Was Looking For! and if you want… subscribe to my Newsletter.
On my WhatsApp channel and on Instagram, on the Facebook page, on Pinterest and in my two groups: Catia’s Group, in the Kitchen and Beyond and Just What I Was Looking For! and if you want… subscribe to my Newsletter.
