Garlic Bread

By MooK

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon water
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 —5 garlic cloves, minced to paste (1 tablespoon)
• 1 (1-pound) loaf soft Italian bread, halved horizontally

Preparation

Step 1

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven 450 degrees. Combine garlic powder and water in medium bowl. Add 4 tablespoons butter, salt, and cayenne to bowl; set aside.

Place remaining 4 tablespoons butter in small bowl and microwave, covered, until melted, about 30 seconds. Stir in garlic and continue to microwave, covered, until mixture is bubbling around edges, about 1 minute, stirring halfway through. Transfer garlic-butter mixture to bowl with garlic powder mixture and whisk together until it forms homogenous loose paste. (If mixture melts, set aside until it solidifies before using.)

Spread cut sides of loaf evenly with butter mixture. Transfer bread, cut side up, to baking sheet. Bake until butter has melted into surface of bread and bread is hot, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven. Flip bread, cut side down, place second rimmed baking sheet on top and gently press. Return bread to oven, with second baking sheet on top of bread, and continue to bake until cut side of bread is golden brown and crisp, 5 to 10 minutes longer, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. Transfer bread to cutting board. Using serrated knife cut each half into 8 slices and serve immediately.