Broiler-Crisp Garlic Bread with Garlic-Parsley Butter

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A neighborhood red-sauce-joint classic done right at home: a split Italian loaf slathered with soft compound butter loaded with raw and gently cooked garlic, parsley, oregano and Parmesan, baked until the crumb drinks it up, then blasted under the broiler for a crackly, blistered top. Cheap, fast, and better than the version that costs eight bucks a basket.

Ingredients

• 1 loaf Italian loaf (about 1 lb, 16–18 inches)

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 cloves garlic (about 3 tablespoons minced)
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan

• 1 cup low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, for finishing
• flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the upper third. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
2. Mince the garlic finely. Put half of it (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) in a small skillet with the 2 tablespoons olive oil and set over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes, just until fragrant and barely golden at the edges — do not let it brown or it will turn bitter. Scrape the oil and garlic into a medium bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
3. Add the softened butter, the remaining raw minced garlic, chopped parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, black pepper, and 1/3 cup Parmesan to the bowl. Mash and stir with a fork or flexible spatula until you have a smooth, spreadable, pale-green compound butter. The cooked garlic gives depth, the raw garlic gives the sharp bite you want.
4. Split the loaf horizontally through the middle with a serrated knife, leaving two long halves. If the crumb is very domed, press it down lightly with your palm so it sits flat.
5. Spread the compound butter all the way to the edges and into the crust corners, dividing it evenly between both halves. Be generous and slightly uneven — the thicker patches caramelize into the best bites. Place both halves cut side up on the baking sheet.
6. Bake at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until the butter has fully melted into the crumb and the edges of the crust are crisp and beginning to color.
7. Scatter the mozzarella and the 2 tablespoons Parmesan over the buttered surfaces. Switch the oven to broil on high and move the sheet 5 to 6 inches from the element.
8. Broil for 2 to 4 minutes, rotating the pan once and watching constantly, until the cheese is bubbling with dark blistered spots and the exposed crust edges are deeply crackly. Pull it the moment the browning looks right — it goes from perfect to burnt in about 20 seconds.
9. Let rest 2 minutes so the butter sets slightly, then cut each half on a sharp diagonal into 2-inch fingers. Shower with the finishing parsley and a pinch of flaky salt and serve immediately, ideally with a bowl of warm marinara for dipping.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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