Garlic Bread

Lasagna is one of my go-to meals and I usually serve it with a salad and some sort of bread. Since I'm in a Smitten Kitchen mood, I decided to use Deb's recipe for garlic bread. OK, let's face it - a simple garlic bread isn't exactly rocket science and Deb's version isn't too far off the most basic of butter and garlic. Maybe one of the reasons I went for this recipe was a simple intrigue at what a best ever garlic bread should taste like, as opposed to a just plain old garlic bread! I do know that the store-bought version of garlic bread is usually over seasoned, oddly textured, and generally gross. So, Deb's would have to be a giant step up.

There's not much more to write because this recipe is so quick and "painless". Deb herself gives out the only cautionary word in making her garlic bread, when she warns about watching it closely to make sure the bread doesn't get overcooked and charred. Since the loaf only cooks for about 2-3 minutes, this isn't a hard task.

Was it the best garlic bread I ever tasted?  I don't know that I've ever really given great thought to the subtleties of good versus great garlic bread so I'm probably not a good judge. It was pretty garlicky, to the point that I'll put less in for the next go-round but, beyond that, it was the best garlic bread I've ever made - paired with the (according to Martin)  best lasagna recipe ever.


Best Ever Garlic Bread
from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 large (about 12 ounces), not-too-firm seeded baguette
8 tablespoons (115 grams or 4 ounces) unsalted or salted butter (if salted, skip the salt below), cut into chunks
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
Pinches of red pepper flakes, to taste
1/2 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
1/3 to 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan or aged pecorino cheese (optional)
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon minced chives (optional)

Heat your oven’s broiler. Line a large baking sheet with foil to limit the mess you make. Cut baguette lengthwise and arrange pieces cut side up in pan. Put butter, garlic, pepper flakes and salt in a small saucepan and melt over medium-high heat, stirring, until garlic is sizzling in the butter (but not browning). Remove from heat and stir in oregano, if using. Spoon evenly over bread. Sprinkle bread with parmesan, if using, and broil — keeping a close watch on it and turning it as needed for even coloring — for 2 to 3 minutes. Seriously, watch it like a hawk. Nothing’s sadder than under- or over-cooked garlic bread.

Remove from oven, sprinkle with parsley and chives, if using, and cut into segments. We keep extras in foil in the fridge and rewarm them in the oven, but you know it’s always best on the first day.