Croutons

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. 2
   Tear or cut the bread into roughly 1-inch pieces; dont worry about making them uniform.
3. 3
   Toss with the olive oil and place on a baking sheet.
4. 4
   Bake for about 15 minutes, until crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still tender inside.
5. 5
   Season with salt and cool; you can make these up to a day in advance if you like.
6. 6
   These are great at the bottom of a bowl of soup; throw in some minced garlic if you like: Take 10 or so 1-inch-thick slices of baguette or other long loaf and brown lightly in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of your skillet, adding more olive oil if necessary (start with 1/4 cup).
7. 7
   Use medium-low heat and try to brown evenly and fairly slowly (its an easy process, so your only real job is to avoid burning).
8. 8
   Sprinkle with salt or set aside (uncovered) for up to a day before using.