French Bread / Garlic Bread

By michelle1026

Ingredients

• Garlic Bread:
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/2 TBS yeast
• 1/2 TBS vegetable oil
• 1/2 TBS sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 - 2 3/4 cups bread flour
• 4 TBS butter (room temperature)
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 TBS dried parsley
• a pinch salt

Preparation

Step 1

Dissolve yeast in warm water (110 degrees) and sugar in large bowl; allow yeast to proof or foam (about 10 minutes).

Add salt, oil, and 1 1/2 cups flour; beat for 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cups flour to make a stiff dough. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

Place in oiled bowl, turn dough to coat all sides, cover and let rise until doubled. Punch down. Shape dough into long slender loaf. Grease and sprinkle with cornmeal either a french bread pan or large cookie sheet. Place loaf in pan and cut diagonal gashes on top (I use scissors). Cover and let rise until doubled.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Garlic Bread:
In a bowl, stir together the room temperature butter, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped parsley, and a pinch of salt until relatively smooth. Cut bread crosswise into 1-inch slices. Spread butter mixture over both sides of each slice.