Ridiculously Tasty Roasted Garlic Bread
Garlic bread is one of those things that everybody loves and when you make your own it really takes it to the next level.
This recipe, although it may look a little daunting, is simple and easy to follow and with a little bit of patience you'll be able to produce the tastiest garlic bread you've ever eaten! I like to make these for a party for everyone to just dig into when they arrive but they also work as a great accompaniment to pasta dishes or as part of a tapas-style menu.
Ridiculously Tasty Roasted Garlic Bread
Makes 2 loaves
For the garlic mixture:
1 head of garlic
splash olive oil
pinch salt
pinch sugar
For the bread:
250g/9oz strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
5g/¼oz salt
5g/¼oz fast action dried yeast
30ml/1fl oz olive oil, plus extra for oiling
180ml/6fl oz water
For the garlic mixture, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Smash the head of garlic to release the cloves and place them in a roasting tin, still in their skins. Add a splash of olive oil and a pinch each of salt and sugar and toss together. Cook in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until caramelised. Remove from the oven and, when cool enough to handle, squeeze the soft, roast garlic out of their skins. Set aside while you prepare the dough.
For the dough, place the flour, salt, yeast, olive oil and most of the water in a food mixer with a dough hook attached, taking care not to let the yeast touch the salt until you begin mixing. Start mixing on a slow speed, gradually adding the rest of the water until you have a smooth dough. This should take about five minutes. Tip the dough into an oiled bowl, cover and leave the dough to prove for two hours.
Line a baking tray with baking parchment or silicone paper. Coat the work surface with a little olive oil, then carefully tip the dough onto it. Rather than knocking it back, handle it gently so you can keep as much air in the dough as possible. This helps to create the irregular, airy texture of a really good baguette. The dough will be wet to the touch but still lively.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Shape each piece into an oblong by flattening the dough out slightly and folding the sides into the middle. As you fold press the roasted garlic into the dough making sure it is spread evenly between the baguettes. Then roll each up into a sausage – the top should be smooth with a join running along the length of the base. Now, beginning in the middle, roll each sausage with your hands. Don’t force it out by pressing heavily. Concentrate on the backwards and forwards movement and gently use the weight of your arms to roll out dough to the length of your oven trays.
Place the two baguettes on the baking tray. Put each tray inside a clean plastic bag or cover with lightly oiled cling film and leave to prove for about 1 hour, until the dough is at least doubled in size and springs back quickly if you prod it lightly with your finger.
Meanwhile, heat your oven to 220°C and put a roasting tray in the bottom to heat up. When your baguettes are risen and light, dust them lightly with flour. Then slash each one 3 times along its length on the diagonal, using a razor blade or a very sharp knife. Fill the roasting tray with hot water to create steam and put the bread into the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the baguettes are golden brown and have a slight sheen. Cool on a wire rack and serve.
This recipe, although it may look a little daunting, is simple and easy to follow and with a little bit of patience you'll be able to produce the tastiest garlic bread you've ever eaten! I like to make these for a party for everyone to just dig into when they arrive but they also work as a great accompaniment to pasta dishes or as part of a tapas-style menu.
Ridiculously Tasty Roasted Garlic Bread
Makes 2 loavesFor the garlic mixture:
1 head of garlic
splash olive oil
pinch salt
pinch sugar
For the bread:
250g/9oz strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
5g/¼oz salt
5g/¼oz fast action dried yeast
30ml/1fl oz olive oil, plus extra for oiling
180ml/6fl oz water
For the garlic mixture, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Smash the head of garlic to release the cloves and place them in a roasting tin, still in their skins. Add a splash of olive oil and a pinch each of salt and sugar and toss together. Cook in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until caramelised. Remove from the oven and, when cool enough to handle, squeeze the soft, roast garlic out of their skins. Set aside while you prepare the dough.
For the dough, place the flour, salt, yeast, olive oil and most of the water in a food mixer with a dough hook attached, taking care not to let the yeast touch the salt until you begin mixing. Start mixing on a slow speed, gradually adding the rest of the water until you have a smooth dough. This should take about five minutes. Tip the dough into an oiled bowl, cover and leave the dough to prove for two hours.
Line a baking tray with baking parchment or silicone paper. Coat the work surface with a little olive oil, then carefully tip the dough onto it. Rather than knocking it back, handle it gently so you can keep as much air in the dough as possible. This helps to create the irregular, airy texture of a really good baguette. The dough will be wet to the touch but still lively.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Shape each piece into an oblong by flattening the dough out slightly and folding the sides into the middle. As you fold press the roasted garlic into the dough making sure it is spread evenly between the baguettes. Then roll each up into a sausage – the top should be smooth with a join running along the length of the base. Now, beginning in the middle, roll each sausage with your hands. Don’t force it out by pressing heavily. Concentrate on the backwards and forwards movement and gently use the weight of your arms to roll out dough to the length of your oven trays.
Place the two baguettes on the baking tray. Put each tray inside a clean plastic bag or cover with lightly oiled cling film and leave to prove for about 1 hour, until the dough is at least doubled in size and springs back quickly if you prod it lightly with your finger.
Meanwhile, heat your oven to 220°C and put a roasting tray in the bottom to heat up. When your baguettes are risen and light, dust them lightly with flour. Then slash each one 3 times along its length on the diagonal, using a razor blade or a very sharp knife. Fill the roasting tray with hot water to create steam and put the bread into the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the baguettes are golden brown and have a slight sheen. Cool on a wire rack and serve.
Comments
Post a Comment