Bread Pudding
- Vegetarian
- Energy Kcal 378
- Carbohydrates g 56
- of which sugars g 20.6
- Protein g 8.4
- Fats g 12.9
- of which saturated fat g 6.32
- Fiber g 2.3
- Cholesterol mg 50
- Sodium mg 320
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 20 min
- Cook time: 60 min
- Serving: 10
- Cost: Low
- Note Plus 10 minutes for soaking the breadcrumbs
PRESENTATION
Bread pudding is a classic, especially in Italy where it’s called torta di pane. And look, this bread pudding recipe comes straight from tradition—seriously good—mixing moist bits of leftover bread with whatever's on hand. In Lombardy or Emilia-Romagna, you might see pine nuts and sweet raisins. Down south? Maybe lemon zest or even crispy candied fruit gets tossed in. It's all about not wasting food—making stale bread into something amazing. Families pass their versions down, sometimes adding chocolate chips or hazelnuts if they’ve got 'em. Really, all that baking brings out a golden crust, while the inside stays soft and a bit tender. I mean, it’s just good, honest comfort food—bringing back memories of family tables and old kitchens.
Here's the deal: regional Italian cooking makes everyday stuff taste amazing, and easy bread pudding is proof. Some families even do a savory twist, using leftover veggies and cheese instead of dried fruit and nuts. Pretty much, there’s no set rule—it always works with what you have. The smell of tangy lemon zest or the way raisins plump up in the oven is just so tempting, makes you wanna sneak a bite while it’s still warm. Whether you go classic sweet or try a savory bread and veggie cake, this bread pudding brings a taste of Italian resourcefulness to your table.
It’s the kind of homemade bread pudding that gets people talking, sharing stories. And you know what? It fits right in with old-school dessert recipes. Really really good. One bite and you’ll see why this old anti-waste trick is still a fave across generations, capturing the essence of Italy’s knack for transforming simple leftovers into something delicious and heartfelt. For sure.
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- INGREDIENTS
- Homemade bread 0.88 lb (400 g)
- Whole milk 1.7 cups (400 g)
- Raisins 0.7 cup (100 g)
- Lemon peel 1
- Butter ½ cup (100 g) - at room temperature
- Sugar ½ cup (100 g)
- Breadcrumbs ¼ cup (30 g)
- Eggs 1
- Grappa 1 ⅓ tbsp (20 g)
- Pine nuts ⅓ cup (50 g)
- Type 00 flour 0.8 cup (100 g)
- Water to taste
How to prepare Bread Pudding
To prepare the bread pudding, remove the crust from the bread 1: you’ll need to obtain about 10.5 oz of bread crumbs, which you will cut into pieces and soak in milk for about 10 minutes 2. Soak the raisins in water for five minutes as well to revive them 3.
While the bread crumbs are softening, grate the zest of one lemon 4 and butter a 9-inch cake pan with a small piece of the total butter, dusting it with breadcrumbs (5-6).
After ten minutes, squeeze the bread crumbs well and add sugar and the egg 8, then the softened butter cut into pieces 8. Mix well with a wooden spoon to combine all the ingredients 9.
Add the grappa 10, then the drained raisins, lemon zest, pine nuts 11, and finally the sifted flour 12.
Mix the ingredients very well until you obtain a compact and homogeneous mixture 13 which you will transfer to the buttered cake pan 14. Use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly and flatten the surface 14, bake the cake at 356°F for about 60 minutes: the surface should become golden 15. Remove from oven and let cool: your bread pudding is ready!