Roasted Garlic Bread

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3 bulbs Garlic
2-3 Tbsp Olive oil
1/2 c. Butter, salted
1 Tbsp Fresh parsley, finely chopped or 1/2 Tbsp Dried parsley flakes (optional)
2 Tbsp Frech Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
1 French baguette

(This recipe makes approximately 1 cup of garlic spread.)

Preheat the oven to 350˚F.

Slice the tops off of the garlic bulbs to expose the tips of the cloves.

Place the bulbs in an oven-safe container (or a baking sheet) and drizzle the top with olive oil.

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Bake for 35-40 min.  The garlic should be soft and slightly browned.

When the garlic is cool enough to touch, squeeze the cloves from their skin into a small bowl.  Reserve the olive oil if you used a bowl for roasting.

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Mash the garlic with the olive oil.  Then mix in the butter, parsley and parmesan cheese.

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Cut the baguette diagonally into 1" slices.  Generously spread the garlic butter on one side.

Toasting methods:
  1. Quick 'n Easy - Heat in the toaster oven for 5 min or until the edges of the bread are slightly browned.  
  2. Broiler - Arrange the garlic bread in its original pre-cut form and wrap it in tin foil.  Warm it in the oven at 400˚F for 10-15 min.  Then transfer the garlic bread onto a baking sheet with the garlic butter side up.  Broil (on low) for 5 min or until the edges are brown and the bread is crispy.


My comments:

Garlic butter isn't expensive to buy but this garlic spread is definitely worth the trouble.  It's an easy recipe and it makes a lot.  I've made it twice and both times the garlic bread was a bit hit.

I've tried a couple of different things with this garlic spread recipe.  I made with chopped green onion instead of parsley and that was a very nice variation in flavour.  I also used unsalted butter once but I definitely find the salted butter much better.  It's just not the same adding salt to the unsalted butter afterwards.  Also, if you are going to sprinkle cheese on the garlic bread, use the real stuff.  Kraft Parmesan just won't cut it: no taste and doesn't melt.

I listed 2 different toasting methods and both produced excellent results.  If you own a toaster oven, this is definitely the way to go because you can get crispy garlic bread in 5 min.  If you don't own a toaster oven or making this for a dinner party (ie. garlic bread in large quantities), then the oven will be your best chef.  The only thing with the oven is that you need to keep a close eye on your bread while broiling; otherwise you'll burn the tips of the garlic bread.

I foresee lots and lots of garlic toasts in the near future.  Mmmm...Awesome!  :)

[Click here for the original recipe]

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