The smell of my grandma’s kitchen was breadcrumbs and garlic. When I smell it today, it still reminds me of being at her house when she was cooking. It’s funny how you appreciate simple ingredients as you get older. I must say that a breadcrumb topping is very underrated. Known as poor man’s cheese by Italians many years ago, it makes sense why they used stale bread to make breadcrumbs in so many dishes. Toast up some bread crumbs with a little olive oil and it can really elevate a dish with a nice crunch. Better yet, make your own breadcrumbs and the texture is divine. The lemon zest brightens it up and is a great topping for this humble dish.
Directions
Add the green beans to a pot of boiling water. Cook for 3-4 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
Break up the ciabatta roll into smaller pieces. Pulse in a food processor until they are crumbs. Set aside. To a large sauté pan on medium high heat, add the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook until just starting to brown. Then add your breadcrumbs and stir. Mix the breadcrumbs around so that they brown evenly, and be careful not to burn. Add in the parsley and salt, and sauté until the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Place the green beans in a serving dish. Drizzle with olive oil, then top with the breadcrumbs. Add some lemon zest and serve. Keep remaining breadcrumbs in an airtight container in the refrigerator and they will stay crisp for a few days. They make a nice topping on pasta too!
