Roasted Garlic Croutons
These large crispy Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Cheese croutons are very delicious and unique. They make a perfect quick appetizer for those special guests. They are also a perfect way to serve garlic bread with a twist. Be sure to serve them hot, fresh out of the oven for that warm garlic smell. I used just the plain white unsliced bread that you can buy from Safeway or your local supermarket.
Ingredients
- 2 loaves of day old plain white bread ( unsliced )
- 1 garlic head
- 1 cup good olive oil
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 6 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese
Method
Cut the garlic head in half horizontally. Now place into a ovenproof casserole dish, ( I used a loaf pan ). Place the sprigs of thyme and the peppercorns on top. Now, pour the olive oil over top of the garlic and thyme. Cover with foil and place into the oven at 300Ffor about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and strain, set the oil aside to cool. If not using right away, pour into an airtight container. The garlic olive oil will keep for about a month in a cool dark place.
Remove the crust from the loves of bread and slice into 1 inch cubes.
After the olive oil has cooled, pour into a large bowl, add the grated parmesan cheese and a little more thyme ( removed from the stem )
Place the cubed bread into the bowl with oil and mix well using your hands. Once all the oil is absorbed, place the cubes onto a cookie sheet. Bake in a 400F oven for about 10 minutes or until very lightly browned. Remove from oven and serve while still hot.
