Stale Bread

Dry pieces of breading that have been exposed to air or heat and have become hardened. The term "staling" is often used to describe a process that dries bread for use in a variety of food dishes. Although bread can become stale simply by exposing it to air, the actual process of staling bread can occur more rapidly if the bread is cut into cubes or square pieces, placed on a baking sheet and baked at 200ºF for at least 60 minutes and then left in the oven after turning it off for another 30 to 60 minutes. The bread becomes dry and stiff textured so it can be used immediately or frozen in airtight bags for use whenever desired. Stale bread is most often used for stuffing or various egg dishes with a bread base.