Garlic Bread

Ingredients

• 160 g Water (Room temperature)
• 6 g Fresh yeast (Crumbled; alternatively use approximately 2 g fast-action dried yeast. The dried-yeast quantity is inferred because the source text is missing the number.)
• 250 g Strong white bread flour (Plus extra for dusting)
• 4 g Salt (For the dough)
• 50 g Butter (Room temperature)
• 0.5 clove Garlic (Finely grated)
• 1 tsp Fresh thyme leaves (Chopped)
• Salt (A pinch, for the garlic butter)
• 50 g Cheddar, Parmesan, or pecorino cheese (Grated; use one cheese or a mixture, for the filling)
• Sea salt flakes (For sprinkling over the bread)

Steps

1. 1

   In a large mixing bowl, stir the room-temperature water and yeast together until the yeast has dissolved.

2. 2

   Add the bread flour and 4 g salt. Mix with a dough scraper until the ingredients start to come together into a rough dough.

3. 3

   Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead without adding extra flour for 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

4. 4

   Shape the dough into a ball and return it to the bowl. Sprinkle the top lightly with flour, cover with a clean cloth, and rest at room temperature for 1–12 hours.

5. 5

   Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour. Use a dough scraper to turn it out upside down onto the work surface so the sticky side is facing up.

6. 6

   Gently flatten the dough with your fingertips, then cut it in half with the dough scraper.

7. 7

   Fold and roll each piece into a ball, then cup each ball lightly with your hands to tighten the surface.

8. 8

   Line up the dough balls on the work surface. Dust only their tops lightly with flour, cover with the cloth, and rest for 15–30 minutes so they relax and spread slightly.

9. 9

   Meanwhile, place the room-temperature butter, grated garlic, chopped thyme, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined to make the garlic butter.

10. 10

    Using a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into a 25 cm square.

11. 11

    Use the dough scraper to spread half of the garlic butter evenly over each dough square, leaving a 3 cm strip along the bottom edge free of butter.

12. 12

    Sprinkle half of the grated cheese over each buttered area and pat it down lightly with your palms so it adheres to the dough.

13. 13

    Starting from the buttered edge, tightly roll each dough square into a sausage until you reach the bare strip. Use the bare strip to seal the seam, then roll each sausage with your palms until it is evenly thick and about 30 cm long.

14. 14

    Transfer the dough sausages to a chopping board. With a long serrated knife, cut each sausage in half lengthwise from end to end.

15. 15

    Turn the strands cut-side up. Working with the strands in pairs, fold one strand over the other all the way down to create a twisted-rope design, keeping the cut sides facing upward. Repeat with the remaining strands.

16. 16

    Place the twisted garlic bread in a baking dish. Cover with flour-dusted cling film and rest for 1½ hours.

17. 17

    Toward the end of the final rise, preheat the oven to 200°C with a shelf positioned in the middle. Place a deep roasting tray on the oven floor and half-fill a kettle with water.

18. 18

    Boil the kettle. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt flakes evenly over the bread, then place the baking dish on the middle oven shelf. Carefully pour the hot water into the roasting tray below to create steam.

19. 19

    Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven; some butter should have pooled in the base. Spoon the pooled butter back over the top of the bread.

20. 20

    Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 5–10 minutes, until the bread is golden and cooked through.

21. 21

    Allow the bread to cool very slightly, then serve directly in the baking dish.

Notes

The first rise is given as 1–12 hours, so the total time varies substantially. Serve warm and directly from the baking dish, as instructed. The fast-action dried yeast quantity is unclear in the source; approximately 2 g is a standard equivalent for 6 g fresh yeast.

Nutrition per serving

• bread
• side dish
• baked
• yeasted
• vegetarian
• garlic
• cheesy
• European