The Bread

Out of respect for Pioneer Woman, who first introduced me to this wonder, I have retained her original name for it “The Bread.”

It is so hearty, flavorful and delicious, your guests will never believe that it requires exactly two ingredients. Bread and butter. Are you excited yet?

The secret to this amazing bread is the process. Oh, and the obscene amount of butter.

Please don't be afraid of the butter—it's good for you. And if it makes you feel better, I did cut down the amount of butter a wee bit from PW's original recipe. Just because I made it both ways and couldn't tell the difference. And butter is expensive!

The Bread
Adapted from Pioneer Woman
Ingredients:

• 1 ½ sticks salted butter, softened
• Good quality thick loaf of french or sourdough bread

To start, get your hands on a nice and thick loaf of french or sourdough bread. Leave a stick and a half of butter out on your counter to soften. If you forget, you can stick it in the microwave for a few seconds, keeping it in the wrapper and turning it ¼ turn until adequately soft.

Slice your loaf in half with a serrated bread knife and coat both underbellies completely with softened butter. Be sure to cover every crumb of it, extending all of the way to the edges.

 

Place your bread in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, just long enough to melt the butter. Then crank on that broiler.

Now I know that many have fears of the broiler and for good reason. It can be deadly if you walk away for too long! And that is why you must watch it after every minute. This bread will need a minimum of three minutes under the broiler. But you may need 5 or 6. You want to see little burn marks around the edges. I know that's hard to get—burnt is bad, right? Especially for me—I'm the biggest fan of doughy bread. But trust me on this. This step is essential for the magical flavor that this bread offers. It's what makes it “The Bread.”

The flavor and texture is so fabulous, it's hard to explain. The butter soaks deep into the doughy crevices and just does something insane. Everyone will ask you what you did to season it. No one will believe that it's just butter!

When it's done, remove it from the oven and immediately cut into strips. This bread must be served warm for the full effect.

Serve this with pasta, chicken or whatever you'd like. It's very versatile. It has totally become my go-to bread in a time crunch. Although it's certainly worthy of a special occasion. 

Enjoy it!