Recipe Note

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy

Chicken Parm Sandwich

Chicago Style Italian Beef Sandwich

Recipe Highlights and Insights:

The Origin of Garlic Bread

It’s not well documented on the origins of garlic bread but many will claim it is an Italian-American side dish. Garlic bread came from bruschetta which can be traced back to 15th-century Rome. It stems from bruschetta because garlic bread is prepared similar to bruschetta. Traditional bruschetta consists of toasted bread drizzled in olive oil and rubbed with minced garlic as an optional topping. Over time, it has morphed into what we know as garlic bread today. Some variants of garlic bread are topped with cheese. Popular cheeses used on garlic bread are often mozzarella, Parmesan, cheddar or feta. 

 Why Soften Butter 

There are times in a recipe when it’s important to follow the details. One example of this is in recipes that require soften or room-temperature butter. Here are some reasons why a recipe such as garlic bread may call for softened butter. 

1. Ease of Mixing: Room temperature butter is soft and pliable, making it much easier to mix with other ingredients. When making garlic butter for garlic bread, you often need to combine it with minced garlic, herbs, or other flavorings. Trying to mix cold, hard butter can be difficult and result in an uneven distribution of flavors. 
2. Even Spreading: Room temperature butter spreads more easily and evenly over the bread. This ensures that every bite of garlic bread has a consistent taste and texture. 
3. Improved Texture: Room temperature butter incorporates more smoothly into the bread, leading to a softer and more tender final product. Cold butter can create pockets of fat in the bread, which can affect its texture. 
4. Better Absorption: Room-temperature butter is more likely to be absorbed by the bread, infusing it with flavor and moisture. Cold butter might remain in clumps on the surface, not allowing the flavors to permeate the bread effectively. 
5. Faster Melting: Room temperature butter will melt more quickly in the oven, allowing it to seep into the bread and coat it evenly. Cold butter may not melt as evenly or quickly, potentially leaving the bread dry in some areas. 
6. Reduced Cooking Time: When you use room temperature butter, the garlic bread may cook more evenly and quickly since the butter starts melting as soon as it hits the heat. Cold butter might take longer to melt and incorporate into the bread, resulting in uneven cooking. 

How to soften butter 

To bring butter to room temperature, simply leave it out on the counter for about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the ambient temperature. Alternatively, you can soften butter in the microwave but on low power. However, you need to be careful not to melt it completely. 

Why grate your garlic 

Simply put fresh, finely chopped garlic gives you the strongest flavor of garlic. The reason is after you remove all the skin from the garlic and smash it into tiny pieces; you’re breaking down the cells of the cloves. It’s that chemical reaction that produces a stronger flavor.