Don’t Throw Out That Old Stale Bread: Make This Simple Baguette Recipe Caprese Style

Written by Published on in Breads, Italian Cuisine

This is a ‘simple’ but yet still scrumptious baguette (or bread) recipe. Plus, it’s perfectly okay as not all recipes have to be overly complex or complicated nor contain a laundry list of ingredients to be good or the only one’s worth recording. So here we go. This small bread bite can be enjoyed as a snack or any-tizer.

Saucy Baguette

So many times, shoppers pass by that hard bread loaf marked ON SALE in the bread basket because it has been deemed no longer as fresh as before. However, I would encourage you to stop bypassing them as there is still so much you can do in the kitchen to revive this old stale bread. All it needs is just a little bit of heat and C.P.R. (i.e. cheese, pepperoni, red sauce, etc).

Here is one idea of what to do with old crusty, overly crunchy or stale bread. Now this of course does not include moldy bread. That is definitely an exception here. Throw that sucker out, because it’s no longer good—not even for bread pudding—where stale or crusty bread or baguettes 🥖 can likewise still be used.

This is a simple caprese recipe where tomatoes, soft melty mozzarella, and basil are the key ingredients combined with a tasty garlic oil or butter that is smeared all over the baguette or bread and toasted for only minutes. The high heat seems to revitalize the old bread, bringing it back to life—making it even more crispy and coupled with a few ingredients totally delicious just like before when freshly baked.

In this recipe, I smeared the baguette with marinara sauce but that of course is totally optional. Furthermore, this is only one way to enjoy a baguette or crusty bread as the list is as long as the list of ingredients that can be used to dress them up with. Just go for it, enjoy and explore the options, my dear foodies.

Caprese Baguettes
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Caprese Baguettes

Italian style caprese baguettes that are super flavorful and with plenty of crunch from the crispy garlicky bread.

Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine Italian
Keyword baguette, baguettes, caprese, caprese baguette
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 10

Ingredients

  • 1 Baguette Loaf
  • 1/4 cup Melted Butter or Oil
  • 3-4 cloves Garlic, whole
  • 3 Roma Tomatoes, sliced or more if needed
  • Mozzarella Cheese, soft and melty If preferred, shredded will work as well.
  • Fresh Basil, torn
  • 1 tbsp Marinara Sauce, optional Enough to smear over garlic baguettes
  • Pepperoni slices, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven at 400 degrees.

  2. Add oil to a pan on the stovetop on medium low heat.

  3. Add whole garlic cloves to the pan and allow them to sauté until the oil becomes fragrant and then immediately remove from stove eye. This should happen within a couple of minutes. Discard the garlic or used it for something else. Note: Take caution the temperature is not to high and pay close attention, so that the garlic does not burn.

  4. Meanwhile, slice baguettes (keeping them fairly thick). Also, thinly slice the tomatoes and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

  5. Baste the sliced baguettes with the seasoned garlic oil.

  6. Next, smear with a tablespoon of marinara and add pepperoni slices (if using), a tomato slice and torn mozzarella pieces.

  7. Spread baguettes out on a nonstick baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown.

  8. Top with fresh, torn basil and enjoy! Bon Appetit!

Recipe Notes

Whenever possible, choose organic ingredients.

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