Garlic Bread 3 Ways/Garlic Bread 3 Ways

Supplies

  • Spaghetti pangrattato:
  • 200g spaghetti
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • Handful chopped parsley
  • 100g garlic bread, roughly blitzed
  • 2 cloves garlic - bashed in skins
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Sopa de Ajo (Castillian garlic and bread soup):
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2/3 garlic baguette (reserve 2 slices)
  • 3 minced garlic cloves
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 700ml chicken stock
  • 2 poached eggs
  • Croque Monsieur:
  • 4 large slices of garlic bread
  • 30g butter
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 100ml milk
  • 100g gruyère, grated
  • Nutmeg
  • Dijon mustard
  • 2 slices of cooked ham

Steps

  1. Spaghetti pangrattato: cook the pasta in salted boiling water.
  2. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a frying pan and add the two bashed garlic bulbs. Cook for a few minutes then tip in the blitzed garlic bread.
  3. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until nicely browned, then remove from the pan.
  4. Add another 2 tbsp oil, and fry off the garlic and chilli flakes, over a medium heat, for 1-2 minutes.
  5. Add the al dente pasta and half a ladle of pasta water to the pan, and swirl around for 30 seconds until the water has been absorbed and the garlic and chilli are mixed through the spaghetti.
  6. Plate, then load with garlic breadcrumbs and serve.
  7. Sopa de ajo (Castillian garlic and bread soup): heat the oil in a large saucepan.
  8. Rip up the garlic bread into 3cm chunks and add to the pot, then sauté for 3-4 minutes.
  9. When the garlic bread is nicely browned, add the garlic and paprika, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  10. Pour in the chicken stock, bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes. The bread should dissolve and leave you with a smooth, creamy soup.
  11. Fry the remaining two slices of garlic bread in hot oil until golden brown.
  12. Ladle the soup into two serving bowls, add a poached egg to each and a piece of garlic bread toast.
  13. Croque Monsieur: melt the butter in a small saucepan, then stir in the flour to make a paste.
  14. Slowly add the milk, beating it in each time to make a smooth sauce - cook for a few minutes until it’s thickened.
  15. Take off the heat, stir in a third of the gruyère and add a few grates of nutmeg - stir until the cheese has melted, then taste for seasoning.
  16. Fry the garlic bread slices, garlic side down, until golden brown and crisp, then remove from the pan - add a bit more butter during cooking, if necessary.
  17. Cooked-side facing down, spread dijon on two pieces of the garlic bread.
  18. Add the ham slices, then split the remaining cheese between the two pieces of garlic bread.
  19. Grill these two pieces gently to melt the cheese, then add the remaining slices to top the sandwiches.
  20. Spoon béchamel onto the top of the sandwiches and grill for around 5 minutes until bubbling and golden brown, then serve.