Smells like it comes with pasta

Spaghetti without garlic bread is a lonely affair. Remember when Jollibee spaghetti came with plain toasted American bread? I didn’t regret seeing that bread go, although I had expected something better to take its place — something to take my mind off the bits of hotdog swimming in fire-engine-red sauce, at least (I had to look away as Anthony Bourdain took a mouthful of the stuff in the recent Manila episode of Parts Unknown).

I’m more forgiving of so-so garlic bread, mainly because I’ve served lousier. Making pasta sauce can become pretty involved, while garlic bread is often a matter of what Ina Garten calls “assembly,” with only three ingredients: bread, garlic, and butter (four if the butter is unsalted). It can always wait, no? Like when you’re all seated at the table and a guest inquires if there’s any bread — and then it hits you: you forgot! Me, I grab whatever happens to be around, which is almost always the spongy white kind.

There’s the problem, see: local bread just isn’t suited for garlic bread. I’ve long ago come to terms with that reality. Interestingly, my efforts to make garlic bread from scratch have mostly been rewarded, including one with parmesan and another done in a slow cooker. The bread featured here is by far the best of the lot. The recipe is originally for soft garlic breadsticks using a bread machine, but since I don’t know anybody who has one, I have decided to post a more traditional approach to the dough.

Soft Garlic Rolls

Crusty outside, soft inside, and garlicky all over, these pull-apart rolls speak for themselves. Serve with softened butter (or garlic butter) on the side, if desired.

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons water, warmed to 105-110℉
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast


• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3 teaspoons granulated garlic
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional)


• 2 tablespoons olive oil


• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• garlic salt

1. In a bowl, stir together water and sugar. Sprinkle yeast over, cover bowl with clear plastic wrap, and place in a warm, draft-free corner until yeast is bubbly.
2. In a larger bowl, whisk together flour, Parmesan, granulated garlic, salt, basil, and Italian seasoning (if using) until well combined. Pour in the yeast water and stir vigorously until mixture is clumpy. Add olive oil, then, using your hands, work the mixture until you form a shaggy dough. Transfer to a lightly floured surface. Brush the inside of bowl with oil and set aside.
3. With floured hands, knead dough until smooth and elastic, 10 minutes. If too wet, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time, until you get desired result.
4. Form dough into ball and put into oiled bowl, seam side down. Turn over, then cover bowl with plastic wrap and leave in a warm corner for an hour, until dough rises to double its size. Remove plastic wrap and punch dough down before transferring to lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 equal pieces, and each piece into 3 more. Roll into balls.
5. Lightly grease 3 baking pans with oil, then place 3 balls into each, seam side down. Cover with damp cloth. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°C.
6. After 40 minutes, remove cloth cover, lightly brush the tops of the dough with butter, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and brush again with butter, then sprinkle with garlic salt. Enjoy.