An ingenious way of turning leftover bread into a substantial dish, migas is best served as an appetizer, because a little goes a long way. Eat it straight from the pan if you like, but in any case, hot, hot, hot. If your bread is stale, you can start this right away. If not, slice it and let it sit out overnight to harden.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 to 8 servings

　　1 stale baguette or French or Italian loaf, 8 to 12 ounces, sliced

　　1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed

　　1/2 pound dried chorizo, more or less, cut into quarter-sized pieces about 1/4 inch thick

　　1/4 cup roughly chopped garlic

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　

Step 1

Soak the bread in water to cover until soft, just a few minutes, then squeeze out the water and wring the bread as dry as possible in a towel. The drier you get it, the quicker the cooking time.

　　

Step 2

You can start cooking while the bread is soaking: Put the oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo slices and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, another 5 minutes or so.

　　

Step 3

Add the squeezed-out bread and continue to cook, stirring infrequently, until the bread begins to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. If the mixture becomes dry before the bread browns, add a bit more olive oil. Season with a bit of salt and a lot of pepper and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.