As a crisp topping for pasta, steamed vegetables or as a crucial ingredient in the Apple Prune Brown Betty, these are worlds apart from store-bought bread crumbs.
1(12-inch) piece day-old baguette, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (6 cups)
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
Grind baguette cubes to coarse crumbs in 3 batches in a food processor. Spread evenly in a large shallow baking pan and bake, stirring once, until golden crisp, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely before using.
