Garlic, Red Chilli Pepper and Asiago Loaves, Savory French Toast

Hello, Hello!!
Hope you enjoyed the Super Bowl and Tennis games last weekend. We had fun, enjoyed the football game a lot this year. Steelers played a great game, deserved to win in the end! Since NC Panthers didn't make it to the final game, we didn't particularly have a preference, Steelers or Cardinals, just wanted to watch a good game and eat a lot. We weren't disappointed in both aspects! Hahaha!!

We were all so exhausted the next day but had to keep up the routine nevertheless. They should give us all a day off after the game every year, don't you think? What was our game platter looked like? Scroll all the way down to look at it. YUP! Took 2 days for us to recover from that platter, kids chose each one of those snacks this year! :D

Last week, I baked a simple but delicious savory bread. A combination of Garlic, red chilli pepper flakes and Asiago cheese makes these bread wonderfully tasty and aromatic. Slices of these loaves make delicious savory French toasts for breakfast or just a great snack in the afternoon with cream cheese to munch on. This is also my 150th post at Foodie's Hope today, nice treat for me too! :)

These kind of unique bread is not usually available in the bakeries, so you can enjoy these homemade bread tailored to suit your taste even more at home! Asiago bread recipe is adapted from "baking for Today" book authored by Betty Crocker, with my little extra personal addition here and there as always!

A savory Garlic, red chilli pepper flakes and Asiago cheese bread loaves:
This recipe makes four small loaves or 2 medium sized loaves or you can halve the recipe to make just two small loaves, choice is your's. Loaves do freeze well, so better make the full recipe and freeze the bread for later use. Enjoy!

Sliced to show the texture:

To bake these loaves, you need:
3 tbsp vegetable or Olive oil,
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced,
1/2 tsp or more dry red chilli pepper flakes,
5 to 5 1/2 cups of Bread flour or plain flour,
1 tbsp Sugar,
1 1/2 tsp salt,
2 packages of regular or quick rising Yeast,
2 cups very warm water, (120F),
3/4 cup grated Asiago cheese or you can use any cheese as long as it has less moisture,
1 tsp dry or fresh Parsley,
1 tsp dry or fresh Chives. (or you can use 1 1/2 tsp Italian Herb seasoning)

To bake:

1. Heat oil in a skillet and add the minced garlic, stir for a minute or so until translucent. Add chill flakes and take the pan off the heat. Cool.
2. In a blender bowl, add 2 cups, sugar, salt and Yeast, stir once.
3. Add very warm water, olive oil with garlic and chilli flakes to this mixture, beat with kneader attachment or mix by hand for 2 mins.
4. Start adding the flour as much as need, to this mix, knead for 5-7mins and keep kneading until you get a pliable, smooth dough without sticking to your hand.

You might need to use all the flour or less than 5 1/2 cups, you do the math or use your judgment.

5. Grease the dough with some oil, cover the bowl and keep it in a warm place to rise for 1 to 2 hrs or until it's double in size.
6. After the dough is raised, punch it down and divide into 4 equal parts, make about 6" rounds.
7. Spray a baking sheet with no-stick oil or any oil lightly. Place all 4 dough balls, smooth side up, 3-4 inches apart from each other on the baking sheet. Cut the top of the dough with 1/2" deep X or + with the sharp or serrated knife.
8. Cover lightly and let it rise again for 1/2 an hour ot until they puff up again.

Preheat the oven at 375F.

9. Remove the cover off of the dough balls, place them and bake for 20 25 mins or until they are golden and sound hollow when tapped. DO NOT over bake.
10. Remove the loaves on to the cooling rack. Now, they are ready to be sliced and savored warm or cold!
Nothing tastes better than a freshly baked warm bread in your hand with some butter to enjoy! :)

A savory "French" toast made from Asiago bread slice for breakfast!
French toast is also called "Pain perdu" or "Lost bread" in French.
You can freeze those Asiago loaves to use it for later or use the day or two old bread to make savory French toasts in the morning, dotted with hot sauce (Sriracha!, can you handle it?! :D). Tastes great on cold Winter mornings to get your brain working super fast!! Here is how I made these savory ones.

You need:
4 thick slices of above bread, day old is perfect for toast.

3 large Eggs,
4 tbsp milk or Half and Half or cream,
enough salt to taste,
1/8 tsp Cumin seeds powder,(optional)
1/8 tsp Garlic powder,
1 tsp fresh Parsley or Basil or any herb you like,
or 1/4 tsp dry mixed herb seasoning,
1 tsp Parmesan cheese.(optional)

To make savory French Toast:


1. Take a wide mouthed bowl or pan wide enough to dip the bread flat, add all the above ingredients except bread slices and beat well.
2. Let the bread slices dry a bit, keep them out after slicing on the counter top for few minutes.
3. Then dip each bread slice in the egg mixture for a minute on each side and keep them aside on a plate.
4. Heat a non-stick pan with little butter in it. Place one or two slices at a time and cook until golden brown both sides.

Serve these sprinkled with pepper or Hot sauce on top.




This savory French toast (Pain Perdu) goes to DK of "Culinary Bazaar" for her event "A.W.E.D.-French cuisine" this month. I don't know whether French people would have a savory toast in the morning but we do love to have it in their name!! :D
Thanks DK, enjoy hosting!

That's all this week, have a fun rest of the week! :))

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Super Bowl platter to ready to go in the oven. Gone now, of course! :D
White castle mini Burgers, spicy Chicken Wings, Chicken and cheese Taquitoes, breaded Shrimps, Steak Quesadillas, mini Corndogs and Chili cheese Fondue with Olive Bread chunks and White Corn Tortilla chips to dip!!
Wait!! Michelob Ultra lite Lime Cactus Beers for us and Mountain dew for kids! Now, I am done!! Here is my last year's Super Bowl platter! :))


List of my tried and tasted dishes:
Click on the collage to see larger image.


Lahori dal, from Super chef.
Vankaya Pulusu, from Rekha.
Palkova, from Sagari.
Errisery,(I used Turnips), from Happy Cook.
Chilli chicken, from Sig.
Cabbage-Moong dal Kootu, from Smitha.

Thanks to all of you for posting these! :)

Check out my Carrot-Fennel-Walnuts cake at Aroma!