INGREDIENTS:
Crusty Italian or French bread
extra virgin olive oil
fresh crushed garlic
sea salt to taste
crushed red pepper
fresh or dried oregano
fresh marjoram
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 450˚F.
2. This is one of those recipes where you can just wing it and it will always taste great. The most important ingredient, actually is the bread. Make sure you buy the best quality bread you can. This means bread that is hearth baked and baked the same day you are going to use it (you can buy the bread and freeze it). Combine a few tablespoons of finely crushed garlic with a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. If you are going to add fresh chopped herbs, add them now.
3. Cut the bread in half length-wise. With a spoon (not brush, because you want all that garlic on there), spread some of the garlic oil mixture onto the bread. A little bit of oil will go a long way in this instance, and any garlic oil you don’t use today, you can use tomorrow. Sprinkle dried oregano, red pepper flakes and salt on the bread.
4. Put the two pieces back together and throw the whole loaf into the middle rack of the oven as it is for about 10 minutes. Take the pieces apart and cook garlic side up for another 10 minutes or until the edges start to brown. To keep the bread warm until company comes, put the loaf back together, cut and wrap in aluminum foil and place in 150˚F.
