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Garlic Bread
Improve garlic bread? Yes indeed! This bread is
crustier and the garlic zestier than in other
versions, with olive oil playing a major role.
Serve this with your favorite tomato-sauce-based
pasta dish, and you'll understand again why garlic
and tomatoes are just so right together.
Biga (Starter)
1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
Dough
1 teaspoon instant yeast
2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon Baker's Special Dry Milk or non-instant
nonfat milk
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons garlic oil or olive oil
Toppings
3 to 4 large cloves of garlic, minced, mixed with 1
tablespoon olive oil
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Biga: In a small bowl, mix together the biga
ingredients till they're just combined. Cover the
bowl, and allow the biga to rest overnight at room
temperature.
Dough: Next day, combine the biga with the remaining
dough ingredients and knead by hand, mixer or bread
machine till the dough is smooth. This dough is very
slack (wet); don't try to add enough flour to make
it kneadable on a work surface. If using an electric
mixer, knead it with the flat beater attachment for
5 to 8 minutes; if mixing by hand, use a bowl
scraper and your hands to work it as best you can
right in the bowl. It'll become smooth and will hold
its shape somewhat, but will be very sticky. Cover
the bowl and allow the dough to rise for 1 hour.
Shaping: Line a baking sheet with lightly greased
parchment. Transfer the dough to the lined pan and
press it gently into a rough 12 x 17-inch rectangle.
Dimple the surface with your fingertips and spread
with the garlic and oil mixture. Using the parchment
as an aid, carefully fold the short sides of the
dough toward the center, allowing the edges to just
meet. Cover and let rise till very puffy and bubbly,
about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Halfway through the rising
time gently dimple the dough's surface again, being
careful not to deflate it while doing so. Sprinkle
with the Parmesan cheese.
Baking: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spritz the
surface of the dough with warm water, and bake it
for 15 to 20 minutes, till it's golden brown. Remove
it from the oven, and allow it to cool on a wire
rack. Yield: 8 to12 servings.
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