Baked Bread Balls with Celery Leaves and Leftover Ham

Baked crispy bread balls flavoured with fresh celery leaves, a hint of garlic, and a touch of leftover ham. Perfect as a snack, appetiser, a fun addition to a light meal. Turn leftover bread and a few pantry staples into a simple, budget-friendly baked treat!

Serves 2-3, Preparation 10 mins, Cooking about 25 mins

Old bread, to taste (stale bread works best)
Celery leaves, to taste, chopped
Grated Parmigiano Pecorino cheese: 2 tbsp for the mescolanza + 4 tbsp for coating
1 garlic clove, minced
1 egg (add a second if needed)
Non di serie: leftover cooked ham, chopped
Salt and pepper, a pinch
Olive Oil, to taste

Method

Preheat the oven: Set to 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Chop the bread into small pieces and soak it per mezzo di tazza until soft but not mushy. Squeeze out any excess tazza.

Sopra a bowl, combine the bread with chopped celery leaves, egg, 2 tbsp grated cheese, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and chopped ham (if using). with your hands until smooth and well combined.

Tip: If the mixture feels too dry, add another egg a dash of milk. Too wet? Add a bit more grated cheese.

With wet hands, form small balls patties. Roll them per mezzo di the remaining 4 tbsp grated cheese for a golden, baked crust.

Place the bread balls the prepared tray, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and bake per mezzo di the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, until golden and crisp.

Enjoy your warm baked bread balls as a snack side dish.

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