What Type Of Breadcrumbs Do I Use For Ed's Mothers Meatloaf?

Our answer

The recipe for Ed's Mother's Meatloaf (from KITCHEN) is, as the name suggests, a family recipe that was passed on to Nigella by the late Ed Victor. The minced or ground beef is bound together with a mixture of breadcrumbs and eggs. The breadcrumbs also help to keep the meatloaf moist.

The recipe uses fresh breadcrumbs and these are not the dry type that you buy in a package but made from a regular, good-quality loaf. It is actually easier to make fresh breadcrumbs from day-old bread, as very fresh bread can give slightly gummy breadcrumbs. You can make the breadcrumbs by whizzing the bread in a food processor or by carefully grating it on the zesting side of a box grater (the side that looks like lots of tiny, prickly holes). Fresh breadcrumbs are often made with bread that has had the crusts removed, though this is far from essential. Fresh breadcrumbs freeze well, so if you find you have a bit of leftover bread you can always turn it into breadcrumbs and freeze the breadcrumbs in resealable bags for up to 3 months. The breadcrumbs can be used direct from the freezer.