Homemade roasted garlic round loaf

step 1
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Wrap the 1/2 head of garlic in foil and roast in the oven until very soft, about 45 minutes. Let cool, then squeeze garlic cloves out into a bowl (discarding skins).

step 2
In your mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and sea salt. Make a well in the center and place yeast in it. Pour in 3/4 cup warm water. Cover bowl and set aside in a warm place until the yeast is bubbly, about 20 minutes.

step 3
With the hook attachment stir in roasted garlic and 1/4 cup more water. Add more flour or water if needed to make a soft but not too sticky dough.

step 4
Place in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise, about 45 minutes until doubled in bulk. Punch down and let rise again.

step 5
Punch down and roll into a ball, push down slightly to make a nice size loaf. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, and slash lightly diagonally across and then again to make a cross hatch.

step 6
Cover with a clean dish towel, let rise until almost double in bulk. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 475 degrees with the rack in the top/middle position. When dough has risen, lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle with a little sea salt.

step 7
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Cool on a rack, or cut a slather with butter for a delicious snack!