Easy Spicy Garlic Bread in a Pot

Isn't this the prettiest bread you've ever seen? Yours will look like this too. I'm sure of it.

You can do this in a bread machine, in your electric mixer with a dough hook, or by hand.

Easy Spicy Garlic Bread in a Pot

Adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients

1 c warm water

2 1/4 active dry yeast

pinch of sugar

4 oz butter, melted

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

1 tbsp chopped fresh chives

3/4 tsp dried red chili flakes

2 or 3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

4 c bread flour

a few big pinches of ground black pepper

2 tsp salt

Olive oil

Directions

Sprinkle yeast over warm water, add pinch of sugar and stir gently. Allow yeast and water to rest, foam and froth for about 5 minutes.

Melt butter in a small saucepan. When butter is melted, remove from heat and add herbs, chili flakes and garlic. Set aside.

Place the flour in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add salt and pepper. Pour in yeast mixture and butter mixture. Stir on low speed for about 10-12 minutes. The dough ball should clean the sides of the bowl and not stick to the bottom. The dough will be relatively smooth and supple, with some firmness.

Place the dough in a large greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and all to rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

When doubled in size, place on a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for about 2 minutes.

In a large Dutch oven, add about 2 tbsp olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot. Place dough in the pot and using a large sharp knife, slice fairly deeply a cross into the dough. Drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cover with a tight fitting lid and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 400 degrees, remove lid, and let bake for another 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool until easily removed from the pan.