About:

This homemade garlic baguette is a real treat, it is healthier when compared to the store bought frozen breads and how even I tried to use just right amount of olive oil, garlic and cheese. Any herbs can be used for flavour, just as a variation tried with dill as herb and it added flavor to the bread.

It can be served with a bowl of hot soup/ pasta or with any other main course.

Yields: 2 medium breads
Serves: 3 – 4
Baking time: 20-25 mins

For baguette:

• Whole wheat flour- 2cups
• Salt=1/4tsp
• Yeast-2tsp
• Honey-1tsp
• Olive oil-1tbsp, plus for brushing
• Warm water-1cup (or may require a bit more depending on the flour)

For garlic sauce:

• Garlic-1head
• Olive-2tsp
• Salt-pinch
• Low fat mozzarella cheese-100gms
• Dill – a handful

Procedure:

• In a small bowl stir 1cup warm water, honey, salt, oil, yeast together. Let it proof for 5-10minutes.
• Once you know yeast is active stir in salt and flour in 1/4cup increments and form soft and elastic dough.
• Knead it for 5minutes and transfer to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or kitchen towel and let it rise for 1-2hours or until doubled in size.
• Punch down dough and cut into two equal portions. Form into two long baguettes as per the length required. Twist a bit cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for 30minutes in warm place.
• Pre-heat the oven at 200deg c, line and grease the baking tray and set aside.

Meanwhile prepare the sauce:

• Crush the garlic and dill leaves in the food processor /blender to coarse paste.
• In a bowl combine crushed garlic-dill paste, sprinkle some salt, olive oil mix and set aside.

Baking:

• After the resting time brush some olive oil on baguettes and place on to the lined tray and bake for 15-18 minutes at 180deg C/ until the baguettes are golden brown and have slight sheen to them.
• Pull loaves of bread out after baking time cut 1” slices of the way through the loaves, brush with garlic-dill spread, sprinkle some cheese and bake for another 5-7minutes or until the cheese is completely melted. Serve immediately.

Note:

• Garlic sauce can be personalised as per the taste
• For baguette wheat flour can be replaced with white flour or can even use 50-50.