The Kitchn: Pull-Apart Cheese Bread gets the party started
I started off thinking of pull-apart bread as a hearty appetizer, something fun and impressive to take to tailgating party or big potluck dinner. But it also makes a great side dish with soup or chili. I love the communal aspect -- everyone reaching to the middle of the table for another piece of bread between bites of soup.
Pull-Apart Cheese Bread
Serves 6 to 8.
1 round loaf artisan bread (16- to 20-ounce loaf)
1 1/2 to 2 cups (6 to 8 ounces) shredded cheese, like Monterey jack, mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, or a mix
Optional mix-ins: cooked bacon or sausage, minced chives or sliced green onions, red pepper flakes, chili powder
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Slice the bread in a grid pattern. Make one set of cuts at 1-inch intervals. Do not slice all the way through the loaf -- leave bottom of the loaf intact with the bread pieces still attached. Then rotate the loaf 90 degrees and make another set of cuts at 1-inch intervals, perpendicular to the first set of cuts. Viewed from above the crust will appear to have been cut into 1-inch cubes.
3. Toss the cheese and mix-ins together in a small bowl. This helps make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed when you stuff the bread.
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