The key to perfect garlic bread is, not surprisingly, in the bread used. Crusty Italian or French bread is ideal, preferably long and thin, baguette or pain parisien style.

Ingredients

  • 1 baguette (although a larger French loaf can also be used, see above)
  • 1/4 pound butter, very soft
  • several cloves finely chopped garlic
  • 4 tablespoons freshly-grated Parmesan cheese

Recipe

  1. Slice the French bread diagonally into 1-inch slices, but cut just to the bottom of the loaf. Do not cut all the way through.
  2. Thoroughly mix the chopped garlic with the soft butter - a fork is ideal
  3. Spread the butter and garlic mix on the cut slices (one side only) - this can be fiddly without actually snapping the loaf, hence the reason why you need very soft butter for your garlic bread
  4. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of loaf (optional)
  5. Wrap the bread in aluminium foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated - the outside of the bread should be quite toasted, the inside very warm
  6. Eat your garlic bread hot.