Garlic bread with cheese

Garlic bread... Yum! I think I've loved garlic bread for just about as long as I can remember. I mean, what's not to like? It's the best accompaniment to pasta dishes and even some soups. So, here's a pretty basic recipe that's pretty foolproof, but delicious at the same time!

Ingredients:
Garlic - 4 -5 cloves, chopped
Shallot - 1 medium, chopped
Pecorino romano cheese - 1/4 cup grated
Sugar - 1/4 tsp
Salt
Pepper - freshly ground
Butter - 2 tbsp
Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Italian bread - 1 loaf (16 oz)

Method:

Heat butter and oil in a pan. When warm, add the shallots with the sugar and a pinch of salt. Saute until they become clear and translucent. Then, add the chopped garlic and fry for a few seconds. Add salt to taste and cool the mixture.

Now, cut the bread in half lengthwise, so that you have 2 long halves of bread. Put the bread in a lined pan and place in the oven on broil to toast on both sides. Reason for doing this is so that the bread gets really crispy. PLEASE make sure to keep a close eye on the bread when in the broiler. Toasting can take anywhere from 30 seconds to almost 2 minutes per side, depending on your oven!

Once the bread is toasted, take it out of the oven. Now, spread the shallot and garlic mixture on the bread. Drizzle all of the butter/oil mix onto the bread, as well. Then, sprinkle the cheese over the top of that. Finally, sprinkle fresh ground black pepper over the whole thing and place back in the broiler for a few seconds to melt the cheese. Literally, it takes seconds!

Serve with pasta dishes, soups, stews, etc. Enjoy!


Note: If you can't find pecorino romano, feel free to substitute parmigiano reggiano, asiago, etc. I just love the flavor of pecorino in this dish.