Breads and Pizza
Smoked Paprika Garlic Bread
(Workman Publishing).
I like to think of this as garlic bread with a Spanish accent. The pimentón (smoked paprika) adds an earthy smokiness. You can slice the baguette sharply on the diagonal into what I call rabbit ears. Or cut it lengthwise into long thin slices. If you have a griddle press, use it to press the bread slices into the hot olive oil on the griddle. Otherwise, use the bottom of a cast-iron skillet. Pressing the bread makes it extra crackly crisp.
Smoked Paprika Garlic Bread Recipe
Smoked Paprika Garlic Bread
Recipe Notes
- Advance Prep: 5 minutes (Minimal – just slicing the baguette and mincing garlic/scallions.)
- Active Prep: 10 minutes (Heating the butter/oil, prepping the bread, brushing on mixture.)
- Grill Time: 4–6 minutes total (2–3 minutes per side.)
- Total Time: 15–20 minutes (From start to serving, including heating the griddle.)
- Yield: 4–6 servings
- Method: Griddled (Using a griddle or plancha with press.)
- Equipment: Pastry brush, Griddle or plancha, Griddle press or cast-iron skillet, Serrated knife, Small saucepan
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the griddle
- 1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 scallion, trimmed and minced (reserve 2 tablespoons scallion greens for garnish)
- 1 baguette
- Pimentón for sprinkling
- Coarse sea salt (optional—most bread contains enough salt)
You'll Also Need
- A pastry brush
- A griddle press (or cast-iron skillet)
Recipe Steps
1: Heat your griddle or plancha to medium-high.
2: Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small saucepan on the griddle until the butter melts. Add the garlic and scallion and cook until fragrant and just beginning to brown, 2 minutes. Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Note: You can also do this on your stovetop.
3: Using a serrated knife and working from top to bottom, cut the baguette sharply on the diagonal into ½-inchthick (1 cm) slices. Using a pastry brush, generously paint the bread slices on both sides with the garlic scallion mixture. Thickly sprinkle each slice on both sides with pimentón and salt to taste.
4: Oil the griddle with olive oil. Arrange the bread slices on the griddle and place a griddle press on top to press the bread onto the hot metal. Cook until sizzling and browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
5: Serve hot off the griddle, sprinkled with scallion greens.
Recipe Tips
What Else
I like to use a mixture of butter (for richness) and extra virgin olive oil (for taste). You can use solely one or the other. Pimentón is available sweet or hot. Look for it at Spanish markets and many supermarkets. If unavailable, use Hungarian sweet or hot paprika.
What’s More
- To make pa amb tomàquet (Catalan tomato bread), rub each slice of hot garlic bread with chunks of juicy ripe red tomato. Better yet, give your guests fresh tomato chunks and have them do the rubbing.
- To make blue cheese garlic bread, add 3 tablespoons room temperature Roquefort, Gorgonzola, or other blue cheese to the garlic scallion mixture. Spread this on the bread slices and griddle as directed.
- To make parmesan garlic bread, sprinkle the buttered bread slices with finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
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