Semmelkratzet (Semmelschmarren)

In Bavaria and Austria, nothing goes to waste, especially not stale bread rolls.

Semmelschmarren (also called Semmelkratzet) transforms day-old bread into a golden, custardy skillet dish. Thinly sliced rolls soak up a mixture of eggs and warm milk along with plump raisins, then get fried in a generous knob of butter until crispy on the edges and soft within.

A dusting of cinnamon and sugar finishes it off, and a side of warm stewed apples is the traditional companion.

It works as a sweet main course for lunch, a cozy dessert, or a lazy Sunday brunch centerpiece.

Kitchen Tips

• The bread needs to be genuinely stale so it absorbs the custard without falling apart. Fresh bread turns to mush.
• Let the slices soak until the liquid is fully absorbed before hitting the pan. Patience here means better texture.
• Use plenty of butter in the skillet. This is not the place to hold back. The butter is what gives it those golden, crispy edges.