I have long had a thing for baguettes. I think it’s partially because they’re French and partially because they taste so good. I just love the crackle-y crisp deep gold crust and tender insides. Once, I even asked Mike to bring a baguette back for me when he went on a trip to France.

Ingredients

• 3 cups bread cut into small cubes (see notes);
• 1 cup milk;
• 1 lb ground beef;
• 3 eggs;
• 3 cloves garlic;
• 3/4 cups grated parmesan cheese;
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley;
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt;
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper;
• 4-5 cups of your favorite basic tomato sauce.

Heat the oven to 400°F.

In a large skillet or saucepan with a lid, heat up your tomato/marinara sauce over medium low heat.

Place the bread cubes in a bowl and cover with milk, tossing so that all the cubes are saturated. After 1-2 minutes the bread should be soggy and wet. Using your hands, squeeze out as much milk as possible. Use your fingertips to break up the bread into very small breadcrumbs.