Garlic Bread

I had some ciabatta bread left over after making paninis and decided to make a garlic spread so I could slather it on and convert them into a tasty accompaniment to the Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato soup I had made. They went together fabulously and being the garlic-head I am, it was pretty intense, yet delicious and the chewy texture of the ciabatta with the piping hot soup made it a meal to remember & crave later.

GARLIC SPREAD for Garlic Toasts


Ingredients:
Garlic - 5 to 6 cloves, peeled
Butter/Margarine - 4 to 5 tbsp
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt & Pepper - to taste
Dried Red Chilli Flakes - a big pinch
Mixed Dried herbs (Italian seasoning) - a few pinches
Parmesan cheese - grated, as a topping (Optional)

Method:
1) Blend the butter, garlic & olive oil with some salt to an almost smooth paste.

2) Stir in the pepper, dried chilli flakes & herbs.

3) Spread this onto bread, sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese if desired and toast in a hot oven till bread turns golden. Serve as is or with some soup.


I'm not posting the soup recipe since I pretty much followed my Spicy tomato soup
recipe but skipped the carrots, green bell pepper & ginger. Instead I tossed in onion, garlic, roasted red peppers, smoked sun dried tomatoes & 1 fresh tomato. The soup was perfect and had a lovely smoky flavour to it.