Fried Bread Recipe (pane fritto)

Italian fried bread slices on white plate.

Fried Bread Recipe (pane fritto)

Fried bread is a delicious snack as well as a great way to use up stale bread. Prepared with only 3 ingredients in about 5 minutes and enjoy savory or sprinkle with sugar for a tasty sweet treat!

Course Dessert, Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine Sicilian-Italian

Keyword fried bread, pane fritto

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Servings servings

Calories 331kcal

Author Nadia Fazio

Ingredients

4 slices Italian bread
⅓ cup milk or water
⅓ cup olive oil or as much as needed to evenly cover the bottom of your skillet
¼ cup granulated sugar (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cut bread into 1 cm thick slices.
Pour enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a skillet large enough to hold 4 slices of bread, otherwise fry the bread in batches. Heat the oil over medium high heat.
Place the milk in a shallow plate and lightly dredge both sides of the bread in the milk. Allow excess milk to drip off.
Do not oversoak the bread or it will fall apart while frying and remain soggy.
Carefully place the bread in the hot oil and fry 2-3 minutes per side until crisp and golden. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess oil.
Serve immediately as is or dredge in granulated sugar if you prefer a sweet treat.

Notes

Savory Variations:

- Sprinkle some grated Parmigiano on each slice before serving

Sweet Variations:

-Dip both sides in a combination of cinnamon and sugar.
-Serve as you would french toast with a drizzle of maple syrup.
-Top with your favorite jam.

Tips:

-Soak lightly in milk or water to avoid soggy fried bread.
-Use bread that is at least 2-3 days old.

Can fried bread be prepared ahead?

-Fried bread is best eaten immediately when it is crisp and hot and therefore can not be prepared in advance.

Please note that the nutritional information provided is per slice of bread dredged in sugar.

Nutrition