Rustic Garlic Bread

Rustic garlic bread is a crusty loaf brushed with garlic-infused oil and baked until the outside cracks and crisps while the inside stays tender. The key is starting with good bread dough and not skipping the garlic oil, which soaks into the crust and keeps it from becoming tough.

Ingredients for Rustic Garlic Bread

All-purpose flour builds structure and gives the bread its rise. Instant yeast makes the dough puff in the oven. Water hydrates the flour and activates the yeast. Salt seasons the bread and controls fermentation. Garlic flavors the oil that brushes the crust. Olive oil carries garlic flavor into the bread and crisps the outside. Kosher salt (for topping) adds texture and brings out the garlic.

Why This Rustic Garlic Bread Works

The dough uses a simple ratio of flour, water, and a small amount of yeast. This ratio ferments slowly, which develops flavor and gives the bread a chewy texture inside. The long fermentation also creates the structure needed for a crispy, crackly crust.

Brushing the loaf with garlic oil before and after baking seals moisture into the crumb while the crust hardens in the oven heat. The oil also keeps the bread tender even after it cools, so it does not become stale quickly. Baking the loaf directly on a hot oven rack or stone gives it the bottom crust it needs to sound hollow when done.

Mistakes To Avoid

Using water that is too hot kills the yeast before it has time to work. If your water is hotter than 120°F (49°C), let it cool before mixing. Cold water slows fermentation, and the dough rises too slowly or not at all.

Skipping the second garlic oil brush after baking leaves the crust dry and hard. Brush the hot bread as soon as it comes out of the oven so the oil soaks in while the surface is still warm and open.

Slicing the bread while it is still hot breaks apart the crumb and makes it gummy. The inside is still setting as it cools, and cutting too soon collapses the structure you worked to build.

Baking the loaf on a sheet pan instead of a preheated stone or oven rack gives you a soft, pale bottom crust instead of a crispy one. The pan insulates the bottom from the oven heat and traps steam, which softens the crust instead of crisping it.

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Ingredients

• 3 cups (390 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups room-temperature water, about 75°F (24°C)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, for topping

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Mix flour, yeast, salt, and water in a large bowl until a shaggy dough forms, about 1 minute. Let it rest for 20 minutes to hydrate the flour.
2. Knead the dough by hand or in a stand mixer for 8 to 10 minutes until it is smooth and springs back when poked. The dough should be slightly sticky but not wet.
3. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rise at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours until it doubles in size and feels airy.
4. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, shape it into a round loaf, and place it on parchment paper. Cover and let it proof for 1 to 2 hours until puffy and jiggly.
5. Heat a Dutch oven with its lid on in a 500°F (260°C) oven for 30 minutes. Warm the minced garlic in olive oil in a small saucepan over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant, then remove from heat.
6. Carefully place the parchment paper and loaf into the hot Dutch oven, cover with the lid, and bake for 20 minutes.
7. Remove the lid and score the top of the loaf with a sharp knife in a crosshatch pattern or single slash. Brush the hot bread with half of the garlic oil, sprinkle with kosher salt, and bake uncovered for 5 to 8 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown.
8. Remove the loaf from the oven and brush the hot crust with the remaining garlic oil. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.