WP.
Ingredients
1 head plus 1 to 2 cloves garlic
Extra-virgin olive oil
8 tablespoons (1 stick/113 grams) unsalted butter, at soft room temperature
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon minced chives
1 large, good quality loaf French bread (about 1 pound), sliced in half lengthwise, as if you are opening a book
Instructions
1. Position racks in the middle and upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
2. Rub off the loose outer layers of papery peel from the head of garlic, then cut the top quarter off horizontally and discard or save for making vegetable broth. Drizzle the remaining portion of the head with oil. Wrap in a small piece of aluminum foil, place on a small, rimmed baking sheet and roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the cloves are very tender and caramel-colored. Unwrap and let cool (leave the oven on if you’re finishing the bread), then squeeze out each roasted clove into a medium bowl and discard the skins.
3. Using a fork, mash the roasted cloves into a smooth paste. Add the softened butter, salt, garlic powder and chives. Grate the fresh garlic cloves directly into the bowl using a rasp-style grater, such as Microplane. (Alternately, mince the garlic with the salt to form a smooth paste before adding to the rest of the ingredients.) Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth and fully incorporated.
4. Divide the butter evenly between the two halves of bread and spread evenly to coat. Bake on a large, rimmed baking sheet (middle rack) for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the edges of the bread are crisp and golden. The butter will look as if it has been baked into the bread without too many spots that look overly saturated, though a few wetter areas are okay. Transfer the sheet pan to the upper rack, turn the broiler to high and broil until the surface of the bread dries out a bit more and turns golden in spots, 1 to 2 minutes. Watch carefully, as it can burn quickly. Slice into pieces and serve.