If you’re looking for ways of using every crumb of a good loaf of bread, here’s a granola recipe to try. Normally recipes use oats as the base for making granola, but this version using stale bread is lighter and quicker to make. Having invested in proper bread, once its has lost its freshness, making something out of it feels very rewarding. We picked up the idea while at a bread workshop with Field Bakery on Gothelney Farm in Somerset. 

Granola crumbs are not unlike croutons and the more structure in the bread, the better the granola. Given the price of good sourdough, making the most of every crumb is good sense. For a touch of sweetness and tang, we added a tablespoon of Zejd’s pomegranate molasses, which has no added sugar. Whereas making an oat granola requires a longer cooking time which might cause the pomegranate molasses to burn, granola crumbs need only 15 minutes to bake. Equally you can make this in a frying pan, cooking it for as long as it takes to turn the crumbs golden brown.

You’ll thank your foresight at not having dismissed the tail end of the bread when you’re looking for something in the kitchen to add a bit of crunch and texture. A bowl of yoghurt perhaps or some stewed fruit with creme fraîche for a last minute pudding?

Coated in Zejd’s mellow tasting EVOO the crumbs are a good way of adding to your daily polyphenol dose too! If a bowl of za’atar mix and EVOO isn’t your thing for breakfast, a scattering of some granola crumbs on your yoghurt will do nicely. Contrary to popular belief, cooking with extra virgin olive oil doesn’t damage its health properties according to Tim Spector. In his book Food for Life Spector recommends EVOO “for cooking, baking and frying even at high temperatures.” So enjoy all the goodness of this simple recipe.

quantities are for around 40g of bread