Roasted Garlic Loaf

Ingredients

Roasted Garlic

• 1 head garlic, peeled
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Bread

• 2¼ teaspoons instant or active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1½ cups water, lukewarm
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 head garlic, roasted
• 4 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

1. Set oven to 400° F. Wrap garlic loosely in aluminum foil and roast for 30 minutes.
2. Combine yeast, sugar, and water and let sit 5 minutes. Add roasted garlic and salt to the water mixture. Using a wooden spoon, slowly mix in the flour until the flour is fully incorporated. The dough will be wet and sticky.
3. Move dough to a greased bowl and coat with one tablespoon of olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place until doubled, 1 hour.
4. Remove the dough to a floured countertop and shape into a rectangle. Take two corners of the dough and fold the rectangle in half. Repeat 3 times.
5. Shape the dough into a ball and place inside a well-floured medium mixing bowl, seam-side up. Let rise 30 minutes.
6. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F with the Dutch Oven ( and lid) inside.
7. After rising, remove the hot Blacklock Dutch Oven and carefully place the dough inside, seam-side down. Quickly and carefully, make a slash, about ¼-inch deep, across in the top of the dough with a sharp knife or bread lame. Cover with preheated lid and bake for 30 minutes.
8. Uncover and bake for 10–15 minutes more.
9. Let the bread cool for 20 minutes on a cooling rack before slicing.

Kitchen tip:

Mix it up. Combining olive oil with herbs and spices is a fun way to transform this crusty bread into a decadent appetizer.