Stale bread is one of the most useful of all ingredients. Once properly dried out, it keeps for years and can be upcycled into all manner of delicious dishes from an exotic fattoush to Danish brødtorte (a cake made from stale rye bread). Here, I’m transforming an old knob of spelt sourdough into a vegan take on Milanese. It’s traditionally made by dipping thin cuts of floured meat (chicken, beef, pork or veal, say) into egg and breadcrumbs, much like Austrian schnitzel, but I’m using aubergine steaks and the aquafaba from a tin of chickpeas. The wholemeal bread adds lots of flavour to the dish, but of course any breadcrumbs will do, really.

Aubergine milanese

This simple recipe transforms a stale knob of bread, some chickpea water and an aubergine into a delicious family meal; the leftovers are also incredible in a sandwich, especially if topped with aquafaba mayonnaise, pickled chillies, salad leaves and pureed chickpeas. This recipe calls for aquafaba, or chickpea water, which means in this instance the chickpeas themselves become a byproduct. Save them for another use, or make a mash to go alongside your Milanese: gently warm them up in a saucepan, stirring often, then mash coarsely and dress with extra-virgin olive oil, lime or lemon juice, and zest to taste.

1 large aubergine
120g stale bread, or breadcrumbs
1 tsp dried oregano or thyme (optional)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
The aquafaba from 1 x 400g tin chickpeas
1 large aubergine
Sea salt
Buckwheat, wholewheat or plain flour, for dusting – you’ll need 2-3 tbsp in all
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

To serve (all optional)
Hot mashed chickpeas
Watercress
Aquafaba mayonnaise
Lemon or lime wedges

Blend the old bread into fine breadcrumbs, mix in the optional dried herbs or nutritional yeast, then tip into a wide bowl. Pour the chickpea liquid into another bowl.

Cut the aubergine lengthways into four thick steaks and lay these on a baking tray. Season with salt, then dust lightly on both sides with flour, shaking off any excess. Dip the aubergine steaks one at a time in the aquafaba, to coat, then allow any excess to drip off. Lay the steaks one by one in the breadcrumbs and and turn to coat all over.

Put the extra-virgin olive oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat, then lay in the breaded aubergine – don’t overcrowd the pan, so use two frying pans, if need be. Leave to fry, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides, then serve with optional mashed chickpeas, watercress, aquafaba mayonnaise and lemon or lime wedges.