Ingredients:

  • 1 pound (450 g) day-old bread (rustic loaf, sourdough, or Italian bread), cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon (5 g) fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon (2 g) freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup (30 g) finely grated Parmesan (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Line two standard baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Cut the bread into roughly 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer across the prepared baking sheets.
  3. Bake for 30–40 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. The bread must be completely crisp, dry to the core, and brittle.
  4. Remove the trays from the oven and allow the bread to cool fully to room temperature (10–15 minutes). This step is crucial; processing warm bread creates sticky dough.
  5. Working in batches, transfer the cooled, dry bread cubes to a food processor. Use short, sharp pulses until a coarse texture is reached. Avoid over-processing into a fine powder.
  6. Transfer the bread crumbs to a large mixing bowl.
  7. In a small bowl, whisk together the dried oregano, basil, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
  8. Drizzle the olive oil over the crumbs and toss gently until lightly coated. Then, sprinkle the seasoning blend over the crumbs and toss vigorously until every crumb is evenly coated.
  9. To bloom the herbs, spread the seasoned crumbs back onto a baking sheet. Return them to the warm, turned-off oven (or a 120°C / 250°F oven) for 5–10 minutes. This intensifies the flavor and dries out the olive oil.
  10. Allow the Italian bread crumbs to cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container. If adding Parmesan cheese, stir it in just before storage or immediately before use to maximize shelf life.