These deliciously fresh, soft garlicky dough balls are a great alternative to garlic bread. I generally make them with left over pizza dough (about half the quantity in the recipe) but they are so nice that I do often make fresh dough for them. You can safely store pizza dough in a freezer bag in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
- pizza dough (half the quantity makes around 18 balls)
- 2 cloves of fresh garlic
- 60g soft butter
- 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
- pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 220ºC. Shape the dough in to small round balls – approximately the size of a large marble. Place them in a lightly oiled tin (I use a round cake tin), spaced evenly apart with enough room to rise.
Leave the dough to rest for approx. 15 minutes, covered with a clean tea towel.
Mix the crushed garlic, parsley and salt in to the butter.
Place the dough balls in the oven and bake for 15/20 minutes until golden on top. Remove them from the oven, turn the temp down to 180. Using two forks separate the dough balls from each other, then smear with the garlic butter. It is a good idea at this stage to use a baking tray or tin foil under the sandwich tin to avoid garlic butter seeping on to the bottom of your oven as it melts. Place the tin back the oven and after 5 minutes to melt the butter and cook the garlic. Remove the tin from the oven and toss the dough balls around in the garlic butter on the bottom of the tin to coat evenly. Empty on to a warmed bowl or plate and allow to cool only slightly before eating.
This is such a great idea for leftover dough!
Hi Kirstin. I don’t know if it is the novelty factor but we love them. So light and anything covered in garlic butter can’t be bad! And if you freeze any left over dough it is very handy when you want fresh garlic bread.
This is such a great idea for leftover dough!
+1
Thanks Quintin. Any excuse for garlic bread in this house!
NOM!!! Amazoballs.
Ha ha!! They are indeed amazoballs :) Think I might need to make them this weekend to mop up some nice sloppy lasagne.
Utterly gorgeous. I actually made a batch of dough just so I could have a go. We’ve had them twice more since you published this too!
Hello EM! They’re are just so tasty aren’t they? Way better than ready-made garlic bread. Only problem is the temptation to eat 30 of them or is that just me? Was thinking of making a big tray full to bring to bbq I am going to next week – very handy to make early and leave in tray until later.
Yay for this, as promised, making 2m! Woohoo
Brilliant! I made some tonight for spag bol… love mopping up the garlic butter at bottom of bowl :) let me know how they turn out.
Ooh you have me salivating. I make these with the kids too. They love love love them. We do ‘pizzaexpress’ at home. A fraction of the cost!! I have also been know to turn leftover dough into focaccia if there is enough of it. Place in a tin, stick fingers all over top to make little indents, add tomatoes, rosemary and olive oil. 15 mins in a hot oven and you are there!!
Hello there mummyinahurry! Ah the ‘pizzaexpress’ at home sounds fun :) nothing better than cooking with and for the kids. Great idea on the foccacia – haven’t tried that yet, it’s on the endless list! Will definitely give it a go. Thanks x
These garlic dough balls are such a great idea, especially for pasta dishes…lapping up the sauce.
Hi Cristina. Yes they are fab for mopping up :) Thanks for the comment x
I love garlic. It made me hungry just reading the recipe. Going to try this over the weekend
We are big garlic fans in this house too! Funny I am making these tomorrow to go with meatballs…mmmm. x
Dough balls are also good with nutella instead of garlic butter :)
Hello Julia, thanks for commenting :) oh wow! never thought of Nutella – I think the boy would love that!