Auntie’s Cheese & Pepper Bread Bowl
Smooth, creamy and with an flavorful garlic hit,
this cheesy bread bowl happily serves as a shared entree or appetizer.
Tetkin chlieb s karičkou a paprikami
This Karička (kar-ee-ch-ka) bread recipe may or may not be traditional–in all honesty, it may not even be a recipe. It may be that on that June evening, while my husband’s aunt watched as her sons, nephews and accompanying entourage prepare to drive to the village house she thought, “Oh, for goodness sake. The shop is already closed and they’ll have nothing to eat. Better see what’s in the pantry.” And so Karička bread was born. Teta Maňa quickly combined a soft cheese akin to our Laughing Cow variety, bell peppers and garlic in a bread bowl and instructed us to bake it upon our arrival. After a spot of dancing and beverages shared round, nothing could have tasted better. It was so rooted in my memory that years later I decided to reverse engineer. And as is the measure of all things, the family happily ate it and so we will be making it again.
Storing & saving
Once the bread has been heated, it is best eaten immediately. The cheese mixture can be kept in the refrigerator for 24 hours before baking in the bread.
Yields
1 large batard loaf/2 small boule loaves
Ingredients
1 large batard loaf/2 small boule loaves 1 veľký bochník chleba
2 1/2 - 3 bell peppers, diced (red, yellow or orange) 3 papriky, nakrájané
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese 1 balenie smotanového syra
1 package (6 oz) of Laughing Cow soft cheese 1 balenie Karička
1/2 tsp salt 1/2 čajovej lyžičky soli
1/4 tsp pepper 1/4 čajovej lyžičky mletej papriky
2-3 medium garlic cloves, minced 2-3 strúčiky cesnaku, mleté
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and Laughing Cow cheese.
Dice peppers and mince garlic, then mix into cheese with salt and pepper.
Cut a circle out of the boule or batard to create a bowl. Set the cut ‘lid’ piece of bread aside
Fill the bread bowl with the cheese mixture.
Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes. While the bread bowl begins to bake, slice the bread lid into slivers. Brush with butter and toast in the oven with the bread bowl. Serve with the bread bowl for dipping.
Serve with
Creamy carrot soup
The intense garlic-and-cheese hit in this recipe makes a delicious companion to the smooth, subtle flavors of Creamy carrot soup.
