In countries across the globe, savvy home cooks have employed similar methods to transform stale bread into a hearty, tasty dish. Usually, the bread is cubed and then baked with a mix of milk, eggs and spices to create a pudding that can be dressed up in a variety of ways: in Hungary, Máglyarakás is bread pudding with whipped egg white baked on top; in Puerto Rico, bread pudding is often soaked overnight in coconut milk, and then served with a rum-spiked guava sauce; in Belgium, old bread is traditionally combined with brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins or apples.
We decided to make a Pennsylvania-specific bread pudding, one that’s decidedly savory instead of sweet. The local love starts with the use of two iconic PA brands: Philly Pretzel Factory soft pretzels — we toasted them to emulate the old-bread texture that absorbs liquid so well — and Hatfield Pork Sausage. Fresh PA milk, cheese and eggs help impart a luscious, creamy texture to the casserole, and salt, pepper, onions and herbs steer it firmly into brunch-main-dish territory.
Check out our video for the technique, then head here to find the full recipe to make PA pretzel bread pudding at home!
- Video and photo: Dish Works
