Savoury Bread Pudding Recipe? Or other ideas to use up bread

[Glitterbiscuits]

I have been given a very large unsliced white bloomer. We don't need it for sandwiches etc.

I don't want to make a sweet bread pudding because I've done that recently with old bun.

I've never made a savoury bread pudding so I was thinking along those lines. I've never even tried a savoury bread pudding but in my head I am imagining it a bit like quiche and would eat it with salad?

I love strata! There's lots of diferent variations if you google. I've only ever used french bread though- not sure if it'd work with bloomer?

Bobotie. It's minced lamb or beef, with bread soaked in milk, curry spices, onion, mixed up and baked in the oven. Serve sliced. It's a really ancient dish, you’ll find it online.

I have made cheesy bread and butter pudding a couple of times.

Make cheese sandwiches, cut into triangles, arranged points up in a dish.
Beat up milk and a couple of eggs to a thin custard, and pour over the sandwiches. Top with grated cheese and bake at 180 degrees until nicely browned and the egg custard is set.

Smitten Kitchen has two excellent savoury bread pudding recipes - cheddar scallion corn strata, and spinach and cheese strata. Both are brilliant for brunch, in a lunchbox or eaten warm for a picnic.

smittenkitchen.com/2014/09/corn-cheddar-and-scallion-strata/

smittenkitchen.com/2009/12/spinach-and-cheese-strata/

Another good one to use up bread is pappa al pomodoro:

amp.theguardian.com/food/2022/aug/24/how-to-make-the-perfect-pappa-al-pomodoro-tuscan-tomato-and-bread-soup-recipe

I make savoury bread pudding with loads of fried onions and mushrooms followed by excessive amounts of cheese 🤤

When my DS went through a very fussy stage, this is one of the only things that he would eat https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/recipes/cheese-and-tomato-bread-and-butter-pudding

That Smitten Kitchen scallion and cheddar strata looks good.

Toast and freeze bread crumbs in batches if you have some left after those ideas?

I'd make Panzanella, lots of variations of the recipe online.
Basically bread salad with lots of tomatoes and olive oil.

I'm not sure that there is such a thing as an excessive amount of cheese, @WhamBamThankU!

When I make cheese scones, I put in so much cheese that they lose all structural integrity, and collapse - less cheese scones, more cheese splats - but they taste absolutely amazing!!

I do like the sound of mushrooms and onions in a cheesy bread and butter pudding - I'll definitely be giving that a go.

Nigella Lawson has a good recipe for a strata.

Panko breadcrumbs ?
Spread crumbs on baking sheets, cook on lowest oven setting, or receding heat after you've used the oven for something else.
Turn a few times, remove & leave to cool completely.
Keep in tupperware, no need to freeze, keeps for months at ambient temp.

Oh I never thought of mushroom gonna give it a try thanks for the idea

I've not made it, but I have had this strata recipe on my 'to make' list for a little while.