Garlic Bread

Since I'm off work during the week, I tend to do a lot of baking. Sometimes it's cakes or cookies or fruit crisps. But every week I can be counted on to make challah, a traditional Jewish egg bread. I found a recipe for it in the depths of Johnny's recipe-of-the-day calendar about a month ago and have been hooked on it ever since! The recipe I have produces a lot of bread (I usually get two large loaves); rather than let it go to the compost pile, I've been trying to find new ways to eat it. It makes excellent toast, contributes to bread pudding (my favorite!), and makes for delicious garlic bread. 

Usually, my garlic bread is some combination of garlic, olive oil, butter, and Italian seasoning, but I was inspired to try a recipe I saw on a recent episode of Barefoot Contessa. This is the best garlic bread I've ever had! It's SO flavorful! The recipe calls for ciabatta bread, but I feel like any kind of loaf will do- French, challah, sourdough. You must try this!!

Garlic Bread

recipe by Ina Garten

• 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 1 loaf ciabatta bread
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the garlic in the bowl of a food processor and process until minced. Add the parsley, oregano, salt and pepper and pulse twice.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan and add the garlic mixture. Remove the pan from the heat.

Slice the ciabatta bread in half horizontally, and spread the butter on 1 half. Spread the garlic mixture on the other half of the bread, and put the halves together. Wrap the bread in aluminum foil.

Place the bread in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Open the foil, and continue baking for an additional 5 minutes.