Perfect Garlic Bread From Scratch

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 -2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/2 tablespoon instant yeast
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/4-1/3 cup butter (room temp, homemade really is better)
• 1/2 teaspoon dill
• 6 garlic cloves, minced (i run it through my garlic grinder)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper

Recipe

• 1 mix the yeast and sugar in a measuring cup, that keeps it from getting lumpy, add the cup of warm water and stir together. let sit for 5 minute.
• 2 mix 2 cups flour and salt in a med sized bowl, then dump in yeast mix and stir until a soft dough forms.
• 3 kneed until dough is smooth and elastic, adding more flour if needed. don't add so much flour that it becomes dry, it should still be slightly sticky.
• 4 rinse out the bowl and swirl the oil around in it, put the dough back in and turn it over so it's coated.
• 5 cover the bowl (i like to wrap a tea towel over and under it), and place in a warm (not hot!) oven to rise. i usually turn my oven on to the lowest setting that will turn on the element for 5 min and then turn off.
• 6 once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and form into a long, thin loaf. place on a cookie sheet that you've oiled and sprinkled with cornmeal. slash diagonally with a sharp knife 3 or 4 times. place it back in your warm oven until it's doubled again.
• 7 turn the oven up to 375f for 20 minutes. my oven runs a little cool so i turn it up to closer to 380 or 390. a little too warm is better then a little to cool in this case. after 20 min it should be nicely golden on top. let it cool until no more then warm.
• 8 in the mean time mix all ingredients of the garlic butter.
• 9 slice vertically into 3/4-1 inch slices, leaving the bottom crust intact. carefully pull slices apart so you can spread the butter on each side of each slice without breaking them apart.
• 10 wrap loosely but completely in foil and bake at 400f for 10-15 minutes. serve immediately.