I am not one prone to hyperbole. And I do my very best not to misuse the English language. I am after all a writer. I do have a problem with the rampant overuse of the word literally. I am one of those people. So when I say literally, I mean literally. This garlic bread is beyond amazing. The secret is the garlic confit – whole cloves of garlic braised in butter until meltingly soft, with just a hint of rosemary. Mix that to an unctuous spread of more butter and parmesan cheese, slather it on thick slices of good bread and you are in for a real treat. It is, literally, the best thing you can serve with a pasta dish.
You can easily double (or triple) this recipe to make as much garlicky butter as you can use – just put the butter and garlic in a larger dish. I have no problem using peeled garlic cloves from the grocery for this, but you can also peel a head on your own. I like to use a block of really good European-style butter, so I cut that in half. I find parmesan freshly grated from a wedge melts the best, but the pre-grated stuff is ok too. You do want to mix the melted and softened butter together, then refrigerate it to let it firm up again and then soften it to spreadable. I know this seems like some steps, but it not only gives the garlic time to really permeate the butter, it will also spread more easily and seep into the bread when cooked, rather than becoming a greasy mess.
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks butter)
20 – 25 garlic cloves, peeled
2 sprigs rosemary
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
½ teaspoon flaky salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 ounce loaf Italian bread, with a soft crust preferably
Directions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Leave 1 stick (1/2 cup) of butter on the counter to soften, then put the other stick in a small baking dish – I use a 10-ounce ramekin- cutting to fit if needed. Nestle the garlic cloves on the top and the sides of the butter, then tuck in the rosemary sprigs. Bake until the butter is melted and the garlic is very soft when you pierce a clove with a knife, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool to room temperature.
- Put the softened butter in the bowl of a mini food processor. Pick out the rosemary stems from the garlic confit (removing any stray needles as well) and add the melted butter and soft garlic to the food processor. Add the parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and blend until smooth. Scoop into a clean ramekin or food container and cover and refrigerate until firm. Overnight is fine.
- When ready to bake, take the butter from the fridge to soften to spreadable consistency, then heat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut 6 – 8 slices, ½ inch thick, from the loaf of bread and place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or nonstick foil. Spread a thick layer of the garlic butter one each slice all the way to the edges. A really thick layer. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of grated parmesan over each slice. Bake until toasted and brown, about 15 minutes.
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