American Garlic Bread
Serves 6 to 8
From America's Test Kitchen
Plan to pull the garlic bread from the oven when you are ready to serve the other dishes. Garlic bread is best served piping hot.
9-10 medium cloves garlic (about the size of a plump cashew nut), skins left on
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 whole loaf high-quality Italian bread (about 1 pound, football-shaped), halved lengthwise
Ground black pepper
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Meanwhile, toast garlic cloves in small skillet over medium heat, shaking pan occasionally, until fragrant and color of cloves deepens slightly, about 8 minutes. When cool enough to handle, skin and mince cloves (you should have about 3 tablespoons). Using dinner fork, mash garlic, butter, cheese, and salt in small bowl until thoroughly combined.
2. Spread cut sides of loaf evenly with butter mixture; season to taste with pepper. Transfer loaf halves, buttered side up, onto rimmed baking sheet; bake, reversing position of baking sheet in oven from front to back halfway through baking time, until surface of bread is golden brown and toasted, 5 to 10 minutes. Cut each half into 2-inch slices; serve immediately.
VARIATIONS
CHIPOTLE GARLIC BREAD
Canned chipotle chiles packed in adobo sauce add a smoky, spicy flavor that made this the hands-down favorite of everyone who tasted these variations.
Follow recipe for American Garlic Bread, mashing 1-1/2 chipotle chiles en adobo (about 1 tablespoon) and 1 teaspoon adobo sauce into garlic butter mixture. Increase baking time by a minute or two.
HERB GARLIC BREAD
Follow recipe for American Garlic Bread, mashing 1 tablespoon each minced fresh basil and chives and 1/2 tablespoon each minced fresh thyme and oregano into garlic butter mixture.
PARMESAN AND ASIAGO CHEESE GARLIC BREAD
Follow recipe for American Garlic Bread, decreasing salt to 1/4 teaspoon, increasing Parmesan cheese to 1/4 cup, and mashing 1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard into butter along with garlic.
Serves 6 to 8
From America's Test Kitchen
Plan to pull the garlic bread from the oven when you are ready to serve the other dishes. Garlic bread is best served piping hot.
9-10 medium cloves garlic (about the size of a plump cashew nut), skins left on
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 whole loaf high-quality Italian bread (about 1 pound, football-shaped), halved lengthwise
Ground black pepper
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Meanwhile, toast garlic cloves in small skillet over medium heat, shaking pan occasionally, until fragrant and color of cloves deepens slightly, about 8 minutes. When cool enough to handle, skin and mince cloves (you should have about 3 tablespoons). Using dinner fork, mash garlic, butter, cheese, and salt in small bowl until thoroughly combined.
2. Spread cut sides of loaf evenly with butter mixture; season to taste with pepper. Transfer loaf halves, buttered side up, onto rimmed baking sheet; bake, reversing position of baking sheet in oven from front to back halfway through baking time, until surface of bread is golden brown and toasted, 5 to 10 minutes. Cut each half into 2-inch slices; serve immediately.
VARIATIONS
CHIPOTLE GARLIC BREAD
Canned chipotle chiles packed in adobo sauce add a smoky, spicy flavor that made this the hands-down favorite of everyone who tasted these variations.
Follow recipe for American Garlic Bread, mashing 1-1/2 chipotle chiles en adobo (about 1 tablespoon) and 1 teaspoon adobo sauce into garlic butter mixture. Increase baking time by a minute or two.
HERB GARLIC BREAD
Follow recipe for American Garlic Bread, mashing 1 tablespoon each minced fresh basil and chives and 1/2 tablespoon each minced fresh thyme and oregano into garlic butter mixture.
PARMESAN AND ASIAGO CHEESE GARLIC BREAD
Follow recipe for American Garlic Bread, decreasing salt to 1/4 teaspoon, increasing Parmesan cheese to 1/4 cup, and mashing 1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard into butter along with garlic.