Vampires, Beware!

Despite growing up in a town only an hour away from the Gilroy Garlic Festival, I avoided the stuff more than any vampire ever did. I hated the pungent aftertaste that lingered in my mouth for hours, and I all but banned my dad from mincing a clove or adding a pinch of the dried powder to veggie stir-fries or meat marinades.

But my best friend is the polar opposite. If a recipe calls for one clove, he cuts up three. Garlic fries at a ball game? One order before the first pitch and another during the 7th inning stretch. Spaghetti sauce, pizza toppings, sandwich spreads… It appears in nearly everything he eats.

So when he asked for a homemade loaf of bread, I knew what I had to do. I cringed as I finely chopped the garlic, wrinkling m nose as I imagined its scent seeping into my pores and clinging to my hair. A wave of garlic erupted from the fridge every time I opened the door to check on the rising dough, but the huge satisfied smile on his face as he took the first bite made the entire smelly endeavor worthwhile. And—surprise, surprise—I even ate a piece too!

Vampire (Double Garlic) Bread

serves 8-10

Feel free to add additional herbs such as rosemary or basil. And be sure to warn your guests before you serve them a slice!

1 head of garlic

¾ c. warm water

1¼ tsp instant yeast

1 tsp sea salt

½ tsp garlic powder

1½ c. flour

1 c. boiling water

Mince all of the cloves of garlic. Add to a large bowl along with the warm water, yeast, salt, and garlic powder. Stir together, then mix in the flour. Cover with foil and allow the dough to rise for 2 hrs. Leaving the foil on top, place the dough in the refrigerator for 1-2 days to allow the garlic flavor to permeate throughout the entire dough. Remove the dough from the fridge. Place a pizza stone or baking tray on the middle rack of the oven, and place a 9×9” or 13×9” metal baking pan on the bottom rack. Preheat the oven to 450°. Flour your hands and a large piece of parchment paper. Quickly shape the dough into a ball, and flatten into an oval. Fold the top and bottom thirds of the oval onto themselves, and pull the ends of the dough away from each other to shape into an oblong loaf. Let the dough rise for 30 min. Remove the hot baking tray from the oven, and slide the parchment paper with the dough on top onto the tray. Place the dough in the oven, and pour a cup of boiling water into the baking pan on the bottom rack. Quickly shut the oven door, and bake for 25-30 min or until golden. Remove from the oven and let the bread cool completely on a wire rack before serving.