Summer vacations are a staple in Greece. From beginning of June until end of August Greeks along with millions of foreign tourists flood the islands and seacoast of mainland Greece. Back in my university years along with some friends we decided to visit the beautiful island of Corfu. We had a wonderful time there and met with some Scottish boys who happened to have their vacations as well. We became friends and eventually they dropped the idea of us visiting Edinburgh for Christmas.
I must say that the idea was beyond luring and so one of my girlfriends and I decided to fly to Edinburg to spend our first Christmas away from home and abroad. The city of Edinburgh as I remember it was breathtaking. The castle looming over the city, the lanes with pubs and eateries and the buildings with ancient Greek columns were some of the attractions that stayed in my memory.
We had the most wonderful time and we managed to sublet the apartment above the guys that was rented by two Irish girls students at the university, who left Edinburg to go to Ireland for Christmas. An Airbnb before its time. That meant also that the price was very cheap, and we had enough money to enjoy ourselves.
It was quite cold those days and snow had laid a thin coat over everything in Edinburg and so one night we ended up in a Pizza Hut joint to eat. For us, it was the first time we were eating Pizza Hut and, so it was a whole new experience. What it really astonished me was the garlic bread which I remember I devoured with pleasure. There was no Pizza Hut in Greece back at that time and I so much enjoyed the whole meal.
Many years have passed since then and Pizza Hut along with all the other fast food chains eventually opened stores here too, but I will always remember that meal and the feeling I had. As I was preparing a weeknight meal the other day, I thought of making a garlic bread but not quite the same. I decided to load it with cheese and salami and make something that would be filling and tasty.
Weather has chilled quite a bit here with rain and wind and so a wholesome meal would be perfect for all of us to warm us up and feed us. I made some soup and made this loaded garlic bread to accompany it. It is easy to make and super delicious and basically you can stuff it with everything you like.
- 1 baguette
- 100 gr. / 4 oz. butter, melted
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup parmigiano Reggiano
- 4 slices of mozzarella
- 12 slices of salami
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F.
- Cut baguette in four equal slices.
- Remove the crumb and set it aside.
- Take a slice of mozzarella and place on top of it three slices of salami to cover it.
- Roll the cheese so as to make a pipe.
- Place the cheese pipe inside the bread.
- Do this for the rest of the bread slices.
- In a bowl mix the butter, garlic and parmigiano.
- Coat the bread slices with the butter mixture, leaving a small portion of it for the crumb.
- Place them in a pan.
- Throw in the bowl with the leftover batter throw the bread crumbs and mix to absorb the butter.
- In a small, oven-proof deep pan place the crumb and place it along with the pan that has the bread slices in the oven.
- Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the bread has taken a nice golden color and the cheese has melted.
- Remove, let it rest for a bit and serve.
- 1 μπαγκέτα
- 100 γρ. βούτυρο, λιωμένο
- 1-2 σκελίδες σκόρδο, ψιλοκομμένες
- ¼ φλ. παρμεζάνα
- 4 φέτες τυρί μοτσαρέλα
- 12 φέτες σαλάμι
- Προθερμαίνετε το φούρνο στους 200°C.
- Κόψτε την μπαγκέτα σε τέσσερις ίσες φέτες.
- Αφαιρέστε την ψίχα και αφήστε τη στην άκρη.
- Πάρτε μια φέτα μοτσαρέλλα και τοποθετήστε από πάνω τρεις φέτες σαλάμι να την καλύψει.
- Κάντε το τυρί ρολο και τοποθετήστε το μέσα στο ψωμί.
- Κάνετε το ίδιο για τις υπόλοιπες φέτες ψωμιού.
- Σε ένα μπολ ανακατέψτε το βούτυρο με το σκόρδο και την παρμεζάνα.
- Αλείψτε το ψωμί με το μείγμα βουτύρου, αφήνοντας μια ποσότητα για την ψίχα.
- Βάλτε τα σε ένα ταψί.
- Ρίξτε στο μπολ με το υπόλοιπο βούτυρο την ψίχα και ανακατέψτε να απορροφήσει το βούτυρο.
- Σε ένα μικρό ταψάκι βάλτε την ψίχα και τοποθετήστε τη μαζί με το ταψί που έχει τις φέτες ψωμιού στο φούρνο.
- Ψήστε για περίπου 15 με 20 λεπτά ή μέχρι το ψωμί να πάρει ένα ωραίο χρυσαφί χρώμα και να έχει λιώσει το τυρί.
- Αφαιρέστε, αφήστε το να ξεκουραστεί για λίγο και σερβίρετε.
