It’s been a while since I’ve shared a recipe or two with you. We’re big pasta eaters in our house and we try and have it at least once a week. However, we love bread just as much and try to incorporate it with our meals. Nothing goes hand in hand with pasta quite as well as garlic bread, and while I sometimes buy it at the grocery store when I’m too lazy to make my own, there’s nothing like having your own homemade authentic garlic bread to go along with your family meal. It is so easy to make that you may not ever go back to buying garlic bread at the grocery store any longer.
Authentic Garlic Bread
Ingredients
12″ baguette or ciabatta bread loaf
4 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled
Pinch of salt
Crushed red pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to broil
Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
Slice the bread horizontally and open it up to expose the inside of both halves.
Brush the bread with olive oil until evenly coated. I used about 2 tablespoons per half.
Sprinkle with salt and crushed red pepper, if desired.
Place the bread on your prepared pan under the broiler.
Broil for 2-3 minutes or until evenly golden brown. I like to rotate the pan a few times to ensure even browning.
As soon as the bread comes out of the oven, rub each half with the raw garlic clove. Since the bread is still hot and the top is coarse, the garlic will dissolve right into the bread as you rub it.
Serve immediately with torn fresh basil and Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top, if desired.
Notes:
We serve garlic bread alongside pasta, soups and even salads. This is also a good base recipe for cheese bread or pizza. Just make the bread as directed and then top it with whatever you like.
The garlic flavor in this bread is more prominent, because the garlic isn’t fully cooked. If you prefer a more mellow garlic flavor, you can spread it with roasted garlic instead.
