I always thought why not just buy croutons? It’s just old bread. Until I read Samin Nosrat’s recipe. I tried it, and it made salads come alive to the next degree. Once you do this, you will never buy croutons again. It doesn’t take long and you can store them in the freezer for later. Ingredients:

Loaf of fresh Asiago bread

Parmigiano-Reggiano– freshly grated

Black peppercorns – freshly ground

Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

• Cut ½ loaf asiago bread into 1” cubes.
• Coat cubes in olive oil and sprinkle with pepper and Parmigiano.
• Place on baking sheet covered with no-stick foil.
• Bake for 8 min at 400F.
• Check often, removing browned croutons and cooking the rest for 1 min intervals (they will not cook evenly).
• Store in a Mason jar in the freezer until ready for use.

Written by: Dr. Terra Caudill Photo Credit: Dr. Terra Caudill

Original Recipe: Torn Croutons in “Salt Fat Acid Heat” by Samin Nosrat