There are easy recipes. And, there are easy recipes -- food that folks who struggle with Kraft Mac can make. And, make well. Literally meaning an oiled up slice of bread, fettunta is Tuscany's bare-bones take on garlic bread. (My high school English teachers would be horrified -- two sentences in one paragraph that start with "and").
For most Americans, just mentioning garlic bread conjures images of oven-toasted loaves doused in butter, parsley and mountains of minced garlic. Some garlic bread leaks yellow. Some ooze gooey cheese. Others make you wonder why the bread looks like orange Kool-Aid.
While not straying far from the grease + bread + garlic equation, fettunta might better be called garlicky bread. If American garlic bread showcases the zing of garlic and the stringiness of mozzarella, the star of fettunta is the bread. To be sure, garlic is still here. It's just not the main attraction -- one note in a choir rather than that voice that makes you forget all others. Since garlic won't overpower the bread, it's key that you get your hands on a quality loaf.
Raw garlic is rubbed right on top of toasted or grilled bread. The warm surface absorbs just a hint of the garlic's punch. You taste the bread. You taste the fruity olive oil. You taste the garlic. No one flavor kills the others. Served hot, this is easy and light finger food.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 loaf crusty bread
- Olive oil for drizzling (1/2 cup)
- 6 or so peeled garlic cloves
- Salt & pepper
Slice the crusty Italian loaf into thick "bruschetta-sized" slices. Each slice should be about 1 to 1.5 inches wide. Once sliced, flash toast (on high) the slices. If you have a grill pan or a grill, grilling the bread is the way to go. This will endow the final dish with a rich, smoky aftertaste.
When toasty, take a clove of garlic and rub it into the bread's rough surface. The garlic will rub off. Garlic up each hot slice this way. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. If the bread is already salted, only use a smidgin of salt. As a final step, pour a big glug of extra-virgin olive oil over each garlicky piece. The warm bread will absorb the oil. Serve hot.
This photo is from http://theitaliandish.blogspot.com
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