What is Crumbing? (French & Italian Crumbing Explained)
Used on everything from squid to cheese to schnitzel, coating foods with bread crumbs gives them a beautiful crispy coating when fried.
Crumbing food is a technique that is only limited by your imagination. Feel free to add some of your favourite spice mixes, ground nuts, parmesan cheese or even finely chopped dried fruits and peels to the bread crumbs.
In this recipe we explain 2 different methods of crumbing. The first (using flour) is the traditional French way and yields a nice solid crispy crust, while the second (not using flour) is how many Italians coat their scaloppini and give it that light yet crispy coating.
Crumbing
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry bread crumbs
- 1 ½ cups plain flour
- 3 eggs
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
Method 1:
- In a medium mixing bowl, season the flour with salt & pepper (don’t be shy as only a very minimal amount of the flour and seasoning will end up on the actual food).
- In a medium mixing bowl lightly beat the eggs.
- Add the milk, oil and stir.
- In a third medium mixing bowl or shallow dish, place the bread crumbs.
- Towel dry the food to be crumbed.
- Lightly dredge (coat) the food in the seasoned flour one piece at a time.
- Shake off the excess and place the food in the egg wash.
- Remove the food from the egg wash and allow it to drain a little.
- Place the food in the crumbs and gently coat by pressing the crumbs onto it.
- To ensure you don’t end up crumbing your fingers use your left hand only for the uncoated food and the egg wash and your right only for the flour and breadcrumb stages.
Method 2:
- Eliminate the flour step and season the breadcrumbs instead, everything else remains the same
Notes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Related: What is Chiffonade?
Related: What Is Braising?
