Say 'Goodbye' to Summer With These Labor Day Recipes

These Streamlined Neapolitan Meatballs Are Made With Panko Bread Crumbs

Despite their impressive size, these Neapolitan meatballs are light and ultra-tender, thanks to a high ratio of bread to meat. Milk Street via AP

Naples may be famous for its pizza, but the meatballs are just as deserving of worldwide acclaim. Massive orbs of ground beef are set in a shallow pool of ragù, red and glistening, and are served as often alongside pasta as without. Despite their impressive size, they're light and ultra-tender, thanks to a high ratio of bread to meat.

In this recipe from our latest cookbook, "Milk Street Backroads Italy," we use Japanese panko bread crumbs, which have a neutral flavor and a light and fluffy but coarse texture. It greatly streamlines the meatball-making process, eliminating the need to remove the crusts from fresh bread, soak it in water and squeeze out excess moisture. Panko only needs to be moistened with water and it's ready to use.

Don't be shy about mixing the panko-meat mixture with your hands. It takes a few minutes to work the mixture together until homogeneous. To help the meatballs keep their shape, chill them for 15 to 20 minutes before baking.

Neapolitans serve their meatballs with a basic tomato sauce they refer to as "ragù." After baking, be sure to let the meatballs rest for about 10 minutes before adding them to the sauce. Pecorino is used two ways in this recipe. A chunk is simmered in the sauce, and a portion is grated both in and over the meatballs. Serve with warm, crusty bread or pasta alongside. Though the latter isn't traditional, it makes a fine accompaniment.

• For more recipes, go to Christopher Kimball's Milk Street at 177milkstreet.Com/ap.

Serve these meatballs with warm, crusty bread or pasta alongside. Milk Street via AP

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Neapolitan Meatballs with Ragù

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more to serve

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

6 medium garlic cloves, finely grated

1½ teaspoons red pepper flakes, divided

6½ ounces (2½ cups) panko bread crumbs

3 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, 2 ounces finely grated (1 cup), 1 ounce as a chunk, plus more grated, to serve

1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk, beaten together

1½ pounds 90% lean ground beef

Two 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes

6 to 8 large basil leaves

Heat the oven to 475°F with a rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with kitchen parchment and mist with cooking spray. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and 1 teaspoon of the pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, then transfer half of the onion mixture to a large bowl.

In a medium bowl, combine the panko and 1¼ cups water; press the panko into the water and let stand until fully softened, about 5 minutes. Mash with your hands to a smooth paste, then add to the bowl with the onion mixture. Using a fork, mix until well combined and smooth. Stir in the grated cheese, beaten eggs, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, ¾ teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons black pepper. Add the meat and mix with your hands until completely homogeneous.

Using a ½-cup dry measuring cup, divide the mixture into 8 portions. Using your hands, shape each into a compact ball and place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart. Refrigerate uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes. Re-shape the meatballs if they have flattened slightly, then bake until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet set on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.

While the meatballs cook, in a food processor or blender, puree the tomatoes with their juices one can at a time, until smooth, about 30 seconds, transferring the puree to a large bowl. Return the Dutch oven to medium and heat the remaining onion mixture, stirring, until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, remaining ½ teaspoon pepper flakes, the basil and the chunk of cheese. Bring to a simmer over medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Using a large spoon, carefully transfer the meatballs to the sauce, then, using 2 spoons, turn each to coat. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce to medium-low, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand, covered, for about 5 minutes to allow the meatballs to firm up slightly. Remove and discard the pecorino chunk. Serve with additional grated cheese.

Servings: 6 to 8

— Christopher Kimball's Milk Street

Friend Green Tomatoes, Sweet Pepper Salad, Fresh Garden Salsa

Fried Green Tomatoes

3-4 green tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 1/2 cups whole buttermilk

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

Oil or bacon grease, for frying

Arrange the sliced tomatoes on a paper towel-lined tray and season both sides with salt and pepper. The tomatoes should be firm and not overly watery, but this will help dry them well.

Place the flour in a shallow pan or on a plate. Pour the buttermilk into a shallow bowl. In another shallow pan or plate, combine the cornmeal, bread crumbs, and Creole seasoning.

When you're ready to bread, dredge the tomato slices in the flour, coating well. Dunk both sides in the buttermilk, then press them into the cornmeal panko mixture to fully cover. Place the breaded tomato slices onto a clean sheet pan and let them sit until you're ready to fry.

To fry, heat about 1/2 inch of bacon grease or oil in a cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Without overcrowding the pan, fry the tomato slices until crisp and golden brown, about 3-4 minutes on the first side, and 2-3 minutes on the second. Add additional grease or oil as needed. Drain on paper towels and serve right away with hot honey, pimento cheese, or the Sweet Pepper Spread, below.

Sweet Pepper Salad

1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened

2 cups grated pepper jack cheese

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced

Salt and pepper, to taste

In a mixing bowl or using the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, grated cheese, pepper jelly, green onion, and jalapeño pepper. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Fresh Garden Salsa

1/2 onion, cut into chunks

2 jalapeño or Serrano peppers, seeded and cut into chunks

1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks

2 lbs tomatoes (about 3 large), roughly chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro

In the bowl of a food processor, mince the garlic finely. Add the onion and pepper chunks and pulse to chop. Add the tomatoes, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and a couple heavy pinches of salt and pulse to achieve a chunky consistency. Season to taste with more salt if needed. Eat right away or refrigerate for up to a week. The flavor gets even better as this sits overnight.

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How To Make Bread Crumbs In 1 Minute Flat—Plus 10 Ways To Put Bread ...

Unsure of what to do with those stale, random pieces of bread floating around at the end of the week after your family has used the "good" pieces for avocado toast and sandwich recipes? Or have a few chunks of crusty bread left in the basket after last night's pasta party? Learn how to make bread crumbs and you'll not only have a savvy way to give old bread new life, but you'll also trim down on your overall food waste footprint.

Ahead, we'll share our complete guide on how to make bread crumbs, including the best carbs for the task, how to recreate those store-bought Italian bread crumbs, plus how to save them for future use—in a way in which your homemade bread crumbs won't spoil.

Marty Baldwin

How to Make Bread Crumbs

Let your leftovers be your guide! Pretty much any kind of bread can be transformed into homemade bread crumbs: from squishy white to chewy sourdough and whole wheat to gluten-free. Even extra pieces of baguette or hamburger or hot dog buns are perfect as you master how to make bread crumbs. Feel free to mix-and-match bread types in a single batch, too; there are few ways to "mess up" this method for how to make bread crumbs. Unless you're making a sweeter recipe, just steer clear of using more sugary options like quick bread, muffins, or Hawaiian rolls. These also tend to be denser and moister, so stick to more typical savory loaves and buns.

No matter what type of bread you use, here's some happy news: You're actually better off using bread that's not baked fresh that same day. Stale (and less moist) bread will break down easier in the food processor. (See our "bonus tips" section below for what to do if you only have fresh bread handy.)

Related: Grocery Items You Can Make Better at Home

How to Make Fresh Bread Crumbs 

Also referred to as "soft bread crumbs," this style is the quickest bread-based crumb to make since it requires zero toasting. Fresh bread crumbs are ideal as a topping or filler, while dried bread crumbs are normally used for breading fried, oven-fried, or air-fried foods.

To make soft crumbs, cut bread into cubes and process as you would cracker crumbs. Use 1 slice of fresh bread for every ⅓ cup of fresh bread crumbs.

How to Make Dried Bread Crumbs

First, make dry bread cubes, just like you would as the first step for your favorite homemade stuffing recipe. To do so, stack a few slices of bread and cut them into ½-inch-wide strips using a serrated knife. Cut these strips crosswise into ½-inch cubes. Preheat your oven to 300° F. On a sheet pan, arrange the bread cubes in a single layer. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown, stirring once or twice; let cool.

Use a food processor or blender to process or pulse the cubes into crumbs. Each 1 slice of bread yields ¼ cup of dried bread crumbs.

How to Make Panko Bread Crumbs

With origins in Japan, panko bread crumbs are flakier, larger, and less dense than typical bread crumbs. As a result, they lend even more crunch and texture when used as a topping or coating.

To make panko bread crumbs, start by preheating your oven to 300° F. Use a knife to remove the crusts from the bread (ideally white bread for this type of bread crumb). In a food processor or blender, process or pulse the crust-less pieces into coarse crumbs. Pour these onto a sheet pan, spread the crumbs out to form a single layer, then dry them in the oven for 7 minutes or so, stirring halfway. Allow to cool.

Each 1 slice of bread yields about ¼ cup of panko bread crumbs.

How to Make Italian Bread Crumbs

The most common variety of seasoned bread crumbs you'll find in most major supermarkets and online comes with a hint of Mediterranean flair.

To make Italian bread crumbs, toss together 1 cup homemade dried bread crumbs with ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning.

Related: Spice Substitutes to Save Your Recipes in a Pinch

Bonus Tips For How to Make Bread Crumbs Far Better Than the Supermarket Kind

Now that you know how to make bread crumbs from scratch in all the ways you might purchase them, here are a few more tricks from our Test Kitchen to ace this money-saving strategy.

Take this slice test. Bread should be dry but not rock hard.

Say "freeze." If your bread is veering from fresh to dry before you have time to whip up homemade bread crumbs, transfer it to a zip-top bag or airtight container and place it in the freezer. That way you'll have some bread to thaw and make into dry crumbs as needed.

Fix your fresh bread. If you're in a pinch and only have a fresh-from-the-oven loaf of bread, you can still utilize these steps for how to make bread crumbs. Simply pop slices into the toaster or a 300° F oven for a few minutes to dry them out, then proceed with the grinding and toasting steps.

Go appliance-free. If you don't have a food processor or blender to blitz up the crumbs, place the toasted bread into a zip-top bag (with the air pressed out) and use a rolling pin to crush the pieces into crumbs.

Keep the crust. Unless you're making panko bread crumbs, there's no need to trim the crusts off unless you're a stickler about an even color on all the crumbs.

Master this conversion. One full cup of fresh bread crumbs is equal to ½ cup of dried bread crumbs, so plan ahead for your recipes accordingly.

Save those crumbs. Can you freeze bread crumbs once they've been toasted? You bet. Transfer them to an airtight container or zip-top bag and freeze for up to 4 months. You can also store dried breadcrumbs in an airtight container for about 2 weeks at room temperature.

Herb it up. Don't feel confined by our Italian bread crumb recipe above. Experiment with a variety of fresh or dried herbs with flavors that might play nicely with your crumby recipe.

Andy Lyons

10 Ways to Use Homemade Bread Crumbs (or Store-Bought, For That Matter)

Use bread crumbs as a binder in meatballs or meatloaf, a la this customizable Basic Meatball recipe.

Now that you know how to make bread crumbs and put them to great use, you're all set to crunch-ify your menu any time you like. If you find yourself fresh out of bread crumbs and don't want to go to the effort of going the full DIY route, consider one of these savvy pantry staple substitutes for bread crumbs.

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