Instead of making plain old garlic bread, try this riff that's packed with mellow roasted garlic and Italian herbs. Tip: Shaving extra Parmesan over the top is an optional but excellent idea.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
For the garlic: Separate the cloves, trim the ends, and toss them, unpeeled, in a small bowl with the olive oil. Place on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake for 25 minutes, until the cloves are soft. Remove from the oven and let cool.
For the dough: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Combine flour with the rest of the dough ingredients and mix to form a soft dough. Knead for 6 minutes at medium-low speed in a mixer or 8 minutes by hand, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Cover and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until doubled. After the first rise, press the dough out to an 8" x 18" rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
For the filling: Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins and mash into a paste.
Mix with the Parmesan, bread crumbs, and herbs and spread over the dough, leaving 1" of one short end uncovered.
Whisk the egg white and salt together and brush over the filling.
Roll the dough up from the short end toward the uncovered end, pinching to seal. Place in a greased 9" x 5" loaf pan.
Cover and let rise for 45 minutes, until the dough domes 1" above the rim of the pan.
While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F. Slash the top of the loaf and sprinkle more Parmesan over the top.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the center reads 195°F when measured with a digital thermometer.
Remove the bread from the oven, tip out of the pan, and cool on a rack before slicing.
Store the loaf, well-wrapped, at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
