What to use instead of crusty bread
It depends entirely on what it's doing in the dish. Here's the job, what else does it, and what to skip.
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Something sturdy to dip into a pot
A tight crumb behind a hard crust holds up to hot oil or melted cheese, so the piece survives the trip back out of the pot in one piece.
Day-old sourdough or country loaf, toastedRan out
1 toasted slice per 2 fresh slices
Drier, so it takes up more oil and stays rigid longer, and the toasted flavour comes through the garlic.
Focaccia cut into fingersRan out
Match by weight
Oilier and much softer, and it goes limp within a minute of hitting a hot pan.
Warmed pita, tornRan out
2 pockets per 4 slices of bread
Almost no crust, so it tears rather than snaps. It scoops thick sauces better than it dips into thin ones.
Gluten-free roll, toasted hardGluten-free
1 roll per 2 slices
Goes soggy far faster with no gluten net holding it, so toast it dark and dip it right before eating.
What doesn't work: Soft sandwich bread. There is no crust and the crumb is loaded with fat and sugar, so it dissolves in hot oil or cheese and drops off the fork into the pot.
Bread that soaks and still holds its shape
A stale, open crumb takes on a lot of custard and keeps its walls, so the top browns while the inside stays soft instead of collapsing to paste.
Stale baguette or ciabatta, dried in a low ovenRan out
Match by weight, dried 15 minutes at 150C
Takes on custard fast and holds its cubes. Skip the drying step and the whole tray goes to mush.
Stale challah or briocheRan out
Match by weight
Sweeter and richer, sets much softer, and the top browns two shades darker because of the sugar and egg.
English muffins, split and toastedRan out
4 muffins per 6 slices of bread
The craggy inside holds custard well and the edges crisp, but the layers slide apart when you serve it.
Day-old cornbreadGluten-free
Match by weight
No gluten to hold the structure, so it sets as a pudding rather than layers, and it tastes sweet under savoury fillings.
What doesn't work: Fresh bread straight from the bag. It is already saturated with its own moisture, so it takes almost nothing up and turns to grey sludge under the cheese.
Base that goes under a topping and bakes
The crust has to stay rigid enough to carry butter and cheese without folding, and the open crumb is what lets the butter run in rather than sit on top.
Split ciabattaRan out
1 ciabatta loaf per 1 baguette
A wider, flatter surface that takes more topping and crisps in about 5 minutes less.
NaanRan out
4 naan per 1 loaf
Ready in 5 minutes and much softer, with no crunch left under the butter once it comes out.
Split English muffinsRan out
6 muffins per 1 loaf
Crisper and craggier, and every piece is its own serving instead of a slice off a shared loaf.
What doesn't work: Thin pre-sliced bread. Butter and garlic soak straight through in the oven, so the slice fries limp in its own fat and never gets a crisp face on it.