Bread pudding, Mami's way — nothing wasted, everything loved.
Here's our Puerto Rican version of bread pudding but honestly, it's more like a fruit cake, a moistier one at that. It's a holiday favorite that was passed down from my grandmother and mother, with some creative adjustments along the way! My ‘boys' really love this one! When I was a kid, my mom would store bread that had been getting stale in the frig. Once she accumulated enough, she would pull out the grater and a big bowl, and someone (me?) would have to grate the bread. I often thought that there were some additional human ingredients in the mix. Fortunately, we now have food processors that do the work in a fraction of the time! That said, I really loved when my son would step up and do the grating while I prepped.
Yields 10–12 servings
¡Buen provecho!
The plate that tells everyone it's a holiday — rice with pigeon peas, and pork roasted low until it falls apart.
Recipe of the Month. Crispy, golden pockets — each one a bite of culture, history, and family love.
Every so often, my mom would make them at home as a treat. First cousins with alcapurrias, empanadillas, and papas rellenas.
