Some recipes are practical. This one is unapologetically theatrical. A rich, soft dough is rolled around a garlic-Parmesan filling, sliced open, woven into a giant knot and finished with warm garlic oil.
The result sits somewhere between bakery-style babka and the garlic knots you would order with pizza — only much bigger. <b>The fun is in the contrast: a fluffy interior, crisp golden edges and ribbons of salty, garlicky filling running through every slice.</b>
<h3>What You’ll Need</h3>
For the dough:
2¼ tsp instant dry yeast
50 g sugar
2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1¼ tsp Morton kosher salt
500 g all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
2 large eggs
240 ml warm water
140 g unsalted butter, softened
For the filling and finish:
1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
85 g unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
170 g Parmesan, finely grated, plus extra for serving
1 packed cup parsley leaves with tender stems
1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ tsp Morton kosher salt
1 large egg, beaten
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
Marinara sauce, to serve
Serves 10–12.
<h3>1. Start With the Dough</h3>
Mix the yeast, sugar, salt and flour in a large bowl.
Whisk the eggs with the warm water, then pour this into the dry ingredients. Add the softened butter and mix for 6–8 minutes until a rough, sticky dough forms.
Leave it covered for 10 minutes before kneading.
<b>Tip:</b> the dough starts sticky, so resist adding too much flour immediately. That short rest makes it easier to handle without drying it out.
Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–12 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Return it to the bowl, cover and leave at room temperature for about 2 hours, until doubled in size.
<h3>2. Make the Garlic Filling</h3>
Reserve 2 garlic cloves for later.
Blend the remaining garlic with the softened butter, garlic powder, sugar, red pepper flakes, Parmesan, parsley and salt.
You want a smooth, spreadable mixture rather than a completely liquid paste.
Roll the risen dough into a rectangle roughly 51 x 36 cm.
Spread the garlic mixture evenly across the surface.
<h3>3. Roll and Cut</h3>
Cut the rectangle lengthwise into 2 pieces.
Roll each one tightly from the long edge, creating 2 long logs.
Then slice each log lengthwise so the filling is exposed.
You should now have 4 strands.
If the dough feels too soft to cut neatly, chill the logs for about 15 minutes first.
<b>Why it works:</b> exposing the filling before weaving creates those dramatic visible layers and lets the edges caramelize more deeply in the oven.</b>
<h3>4. Build the Giant Knot</h3>
Arrange 2 strands parallel to each other on parchment paper, filling-side up.
Lay the other 2 across them and weave the strands over and under one another.
Work around the dough in both directions, then tuck the loose ends underneath.
Transfer everything, parchment included, to a baking sheet.
Cover loosely and leave for about 1 hour until noticeably puffy.
<h3>5. Bake Until Deeply Golden</h3>
Heat the oven to 190°C.
Brush the knot with the beaten egg and a pinch of salt.
Bake for 35–40 minutes until deeply golden.
If you use a thermometer, the centre should reach around 88°C.
<h3>6. Finish With Garlic Oil</h3>
Just before the knot finishes baking, finely grate the reserved garlic into a small saucepan.
Add the olive oil and a pinch of salt, then warm gently for about 2 minutes.
Do not fry the garlic aggressively.
Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped parsley.
Brush the warm garlic oil over the baked knot as soon as it comes out of the oven.
Finish with more Parmesan.
<h3>Serve It Properly</h3>
This is not the kind of bread that needs careful plating. Put it in the middle of the table with warm marinara sauce and let everyone pull off pieces while it is still slightly warm.
<b>The best bites are the ones where soft dough, crisp edges, melted butter, Parmesan and fresh garlic all meet at once.</b>
