Melted Brie & Garlic Bread
I don’t think life is worth living without cheese, and brie is one of my absolute favourites. This is one of the simplest lunches to make with a little side salad, or perhaps as part of a charcuterie board for an evening of wine and cheese with friends. We made this for the first time on Easter Sunday and ate it in the garden and it was delicious, I can’t wait to make it again.
If you are growing garlic this would be amazing to make with it fresh from the garden, and if its the right time of year then a mixture of fresh herbs would work just as well as the dried herb option too. I’d recommend using finely chopped basil, parsley and a few bits of thyme.
Don’t use the cheapest brie if you can help it, but a nice Somerset brie will melt much nicer than a cheap one so splash out a bit if you can. I used the Sainsbury’s Somerset Brie which was still less than £3, and the part baked roll is only £1.15, so it’s a cheap lunch too!
You can absolutely make this with a fully baked crusty baguette instead of a part baked one too if you’d rather, or perhaps if you have one that is about to go off and dry out you could do this so it’s not wasted!
INGREDIENTS
75g unsalted butter
1 medium sized garlic clove (peeled and crushed)
1tsp dried mixed herbs (or finely chopped fresh herbs like basil, parsley and thyme)
150g Somerset brie (thinly sliced)
1 250g part baked baguette
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 190C
Soften the butter in the microwave for 10-15seconds, you don’t want it melted but it needs to be soft enough to combine with other ingredients and spread easily
Add the crushed garlic and herbs to the butter and mix with a spoon until combined and smooth
On a lined baking tray, slice the baguette all the way along, but not all the way through (two thirds is a good depth)
Spread an even amount of the garlic butter into each slice hole in the baguette and add a slice of brie in each gap
Bake the bread for the time indicated on the instructions (usually about 10mins)
Carefully take the bread out of the oven once it is slightly golden and the brie has melted to bubbling point
Slice more thoroughly and serve hot (with napkins!)
