One third of all landfill is food. That’s a total of 18 million tonnes of food that the UK throws away each year. With the food recycling programmes here in the borough, you have no excuse to let organic matter contribute to land fill. Now, excuse me as I get off my high horse long enough to share one of my own shameful food waste habits. Bread. Even though I try really hard not to over-buy and lord knows we run out more than we throw out; sometimes I get the odd half-loaf or ciabatta role that has gone stale before we can eat it. Before I commit any bread to the little black caddy that sits on my bench top I ask myself can I re-use this? Usually, honestly, the answer is no if it means anything more difficult than throwing it in the freezer, but when I’m feeling very energetic I will do my best to use it up by cooking something delicious like meatballs or bread and butter pudding.
This recipe was given to my mother, from an old neighbour and it belonged her mother and I love making it. It’s moist in texture, subtle in flavour and deliciously crunchy on the top. You will notice the ingredient list is modest, and I would assume it’s because it comes from a time during post-war rationing when ingredients were scarce.
Bread Pudding Recipe
Ingredients:
250g old bread, torn into pieces
55g butter
30g sugar
55g sultanas (or currants)
1 egg, beaten
1 tbs marmalade (or apricot jam)
nutmeg
milk for mixing
Oven at 160C
Method:
Put the bread pieces into a bowl and cover it in cold water. Soak for 15 minutes.
Squeeze all the liquid out and set aside.
Melt the butter and add all the other ingredients to the melted butter (except the milk).This makes for easy mixing.
Now throw the butter mixture, bread and some milk into a bowl and mix till you get a gloopy mess.
Pour into a greased baking dish the size of a square pan.
Bake in a slow oven for about 1 1/2 hours.
