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Homemade Croutons

Homemade croutons are a revelation. Not only are they excellent on a salad, they are tasty as a snack right off the baking sheet. Feel free to experiment with different types of bread, from levain, to crusty whole grain loaves, and walnut or olive bread.
Servings 2 cups croutons

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf crusty bread , such as levain, batard, or baguette
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt
  • 1 clove minced garlic (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. Cut 2 cups worth of 1-inch square bread cubes. This is probably more than you need for a salad, but plenty will get nibbled away before making it to the bowl.
  3. Pile the cubes on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Use your hands to work the olive oil into the bread. Sprinkle a couple of pinches of salt over the bread. Add garlic or rosemary, if desired, and toss again..
  4. Distribute bread on the baking sheet and bake until the bread is brown around the edges but not to crispy, about 8 minutes. The bread will firm up as it cools.