Garlic Bread and Gnocchi

This garlic bread is THE best garlic bread I think I've ever had! This and the gnocchi both come from JustJanS from Warrnambool Victoria Australia. She makes this garlic bread spread at a pub there. The gnocchi is a creation of a friend of hers from the pub kitchen. For the bread - I make my own. I didn't have time to let it rise again so I rolled it out as if I was making cinnamon rolls and spread the filling all around and rolled up, let the dough rise in a bread pan, then baked. That's why the bread is swirly in the picture. Super easy to do.

Garlic Bread
1 french bread loaf - either store bought or homemade
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 garlic cloves, crushed - fresh is the best option
2 TBSP parsley
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400 F. Mix seasoning ingredients together. Slice bread into about 1 inch thick slices - don't slice all the way through. Spread each slice with garlic butter. Wrap in foil and bake for 15 minutes. If you like your bread crispier - open the foil the last few minutes.

If you do what I did - I spread the filling on a rolled out french bread dough. Let rise in a bread pan, baked, let cool slightly and then sliced. Somewhere on this blog is my french bread recipe should you want to make some!

Gnocchi
Gnocchi is basically potato pasta. It seems to be versatile. I've had it in a chicken soup at the Olive Garden and loved it there.

4 cups russett potatoes, weighed after peeling - leave whole
1 1/2 oz butter or margarine
3/4 cup flour
3/4 oz grated parmesan cheese
1 TBSP dried herbs - optional
3 eggs, room temperature (Mine were not)
flour for dusting (You will need it.)
cold water (I added ice cubes to keep it really cold.)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for poaching the gnocchi.
Choose potatoes of a similar size and a pot just big enough to hold them so they don't bump around. Boil the potatoes in salted water just until cooked through.
Mash well with the butter. Gradually add flour, cheese and herbs. Mix very well.
Add eggs one at a time making sure to mix well after each addition.
Divide the gnocchi dough into 4ths. Taking one section - place on a well floured countertop and gradually work into a long sausage. The gnocchi dough is very soft so you'll be pushing and gently pulling rather than rolling.
When the roll is about 3/4 inch diameter - cut into 1 inch lengths. Poach in the large pot of boiling water until the gnocchi all float to the top - about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge into the bowl of cold water. Drain.
Repeat with remaining 3 sections of dough.
Serve gently reheated with your favorite pasta sauce, soup, etc.
These may also be frozen in a single layer and reheat well after defrosting.

French Bread #2

I know there is a french bread recipe posted here already. This is a different one (hence #2) that we like equally well! This is from one of my neighbors - Amy Saunders - when we lived in Wymount Student Housing at BYU.

French Bread #2
2 TBSP yeast
2 TBSP sugar
2 cups hot water
4 TBSP vegetable oil
1 TBSP salt
6 cups white flour

Stir yeast and sugar into 2 cups hot water. Let stand for 5 minutes to dissolve. Add oil and salt. Stir well. Add 2 cups flour and beat thoroughly. Add remaining flour until a smooth, elastic dough is achieved - not sticky. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until double in bulk. About 1 hour. Punch down and knead for a few seconds. Shape by rolling and stretching into 2 long 15 inch loaves and place on a greased cookie sheet lightly sprayed with vegetable spray. You cal also omit the vegetable spray and sprinkle with cornmeal if desired. Cover and let rise again until double. About 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 35-45 minutes.

French Bread/Sandwich Rolls

French Bread/Sandwich Rolls

2 TBSP yeast
2 TBSP sugar
4 TBSP melted shortening (I use vegetable oil)
salt
6 cups white flour
Stir the yeast into 2 cups warm water in a large bowl and let stand for 5 minutes to dissolve. Add sugar, shortening and 1 TBSP salt and stir well. Add 2 cups flour and beat thoroughly. Add 3 more cups flour and mix well. Turn out onto a lightly floured board, knead for a few minutes and let rise for 10 minutes. Resume kneading, adding some of the remaining flour until dough is no longer sticky but very elastic and smooth. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until double in bulk - about an hour. Punch down and knead for a few seconds. Shape by rolling and stretching into two long, cylindrical 15 inch loaves and place on a greased cookie sheet lightly sprayed with vegetable spray. Cover and let rise again until double in bulk - about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on racks.

Okay - forget putting the dough on cookie sheets. I found a better way as of 8/12/2010.

Change the recipe to this:

3 TBSP yeast

3 TBSP sugar

1 1/2 TBSP salt

3 cups hot water

9 cups flour

Follow directions above for mixing, kneading, rising, etc. For the second rise, divide the dough into 4 equal sections and place 2 loaves in greased 9x13 baking pans. Repeat with remaining 2 loaves. Let rise in the pans and bake as directed above. (Addie - this is what I brought to girl's camp.)

Yield: 2 loaves or 12 sandwich rolls

The process is the same to make the sandwich rolls. I like the sandwich rolls during the school year. I fill them with lunch meat and cheese, wrap well and freeze. I take them out the night before and put in fridge for school lunches. By morning mayo/mustard can be added as well as lettuce and other sandwich toppings.