Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread

There are times in one’s life when nothing but warm bread slathered in herb-y, garlicky butter and melted cheese fresh out of the oven will do. And since I’m a compassionate sort of person, I developed a recipe that will deliciously (and easily!) satisfy said craving. My pull-apart bread uses nothing more than everyday ingredients and comes together in 30 minutes, tops. You can use any type of large loaf of bread for this recipe for a family-style presentation, but smaller rolls will work just as well – just reduce the baking time by a few minutes if you go smaller. That being said, my favourite bread choice for this recipe is one that is one that is a little more sturdy, and ideally a day or 2 old because all that cheesy, buttery goodness is going to add moisture. As soon as it comes out of the oven, plop the loaf in the centre of your table and let everyone go nuts – they won’t be able to resist…

Makes one large loaf, or several smaller loaves, depending on the size chosen

Ingredients

1 loaf    1-2 day-old bread, whole, unsliced
6 Tbsp     unsalted butter
4 cloves     garlic, minced
handful     flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/4 tsp     sea salt, optional

5 turns

4 slices

    freshly cracked black peper

cheddar cheese
4 slices     provolone cheese
2 Tbsp     Parmesan cheese, grated
   
   
   
   

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°.
  2. Without cutting through the bottom of the loaf, cut bread into 1-inch slices in one direction, then rotate 90° and repeat. Place onto a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
  3. In a small saucepan set over medium heat melt butter. Alternatively, you can use a microwave to gently melt, depending on the settings of your particular appliance. Add the garlic, parsley, salt (if using, depending on the saltiness of your cheeses), and pepper, and stir to combine. Use a pastry or silicone brush to spread the butter mixture all over the top of the loaf, and into the nooks and crannies of all the slices. Stuff the cheese slices into each cut, dividing the 2 cheeses equally across the loaf. Sprinkle the Parmesan into the cuts as well.
  4. Wrap loaf tightly with the foil, place onto a baking tray, and bake 20-25 minutes until bread is toasty and cheese is melted. Serve immediately, and keep the napkins close by!