Garlic flat bread

Garlic bread [photo: Paul Gregory Photography, UK]

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Ingredients

Bread

250 g (9 oz) strong flour
28 g (1 oz) yeast
1 tablespoon (15 ml) soft brown sugar
150 ml (5 fl oz) water
30 ml (2 fl oz) olive oil.

Garlic butter

110 g (4 oz) unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Cracked black pepper
Rock salt.

Method

Bread

Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, water and olive oil together to form the dough. This works best if you have a mixer.
Using your hands, knead the dough well for about 10 minutes. Set aside in a bowl and cover loosely with clingfilm. Leave to prove for approximately 20 minutes at room temperature. The dough should almost double in size. The cling film prevents a skin forming on the surface of the dough.
Knock back the dough. To do this, push some of the air out of the dough by gently punching the dough in the bowl a few times. Put the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to form a thin base. Dust your fingers with flour and then lightly press them into the dough to make dimples that will hold some of the garlic butter while it cooks.
Allow this to prove again (approx 20 minutes) – if you want to keep a thin base do this slowly in the fridge.

Garlic butter

Melt the butter in a pan and add the chopped garlic.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the salt and pepper.

Garlic bread

Place a baking tray in the oven and pre-heat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7 (this will help create a crispy base to the garlic bread).
Paint the surface of the proven flat bread with a little of the garlic butter.
Carefully slide the bread onto the tray in the oven and bake it for approximately 10 minutes, until cooked through and looking golden.
Remove it from the oven and immediately pour over the remaining garlic butter. Serve warm.

Did you know?

The Egyptians were among the first to cultivate onions and garlic on a grand scale. They gave it to the slaves that built the Pyramids to enhance their endurance and strength. The ancient Romans and Greeks also honoured this strength-enhancing quality. Their athletes ate garlic before sporting events and their soldiers consumed it before going off to war.

Content last updated: 30/05/2007