This savoury garlic herb bread, made with my easy no knead pizza dough recipe, is covered with a blend of garlic, oregano, olive oil and a surprise ingredient, paprika which gives this bread it’s unique color and flavor. Enjoy as antipasto, a snack or along with your meal.
Paprika and garlic herb bread consists of pizza dough completely slathered in garlic, oregano, paprika, olive oil and if you like a little spicy kick to it, red pepper flakes. The dough is folded over pretty much like an envelope and baked until golden.
This is what my mom prepares for us each time she makes homemade pizza. And it is usually the first thing we cut into and snack on when we receive a haul of her homemade pizza, hard bread and olive cheese buns!
This Italian herb bread is delicious enjoyed it on it’s own, as a snack or with antipasto.
Where did this recipe come from, I wondered? It is one of those dishes she sampled at a commare’s house several decades ago and replicated at home.
According to her memory it was called riganata referring to the oregano. Although I found no documented recipe with this name and since this is not a conventional pizza shape, I settled on paprika and garlic herb bread!
But if you have heard of this oregano bread, please let me know!
I recreated this savory bread in no time with my easy no knead pizza dough recipe! Have you tried it yet?
Ingredient list
- 1 recipe no knead pizza dough: prepare until step #6.
- Garlic: finely minced
- Paprika: I use sweet paprika
- Oregano: dry
- Red pepper flakes: for a spicy kick (optional)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions
- A minimum of 6 hours or up to 24 hours prior, stir together the ingredients for no knead pizza dough as instructed here. Follow instructions until step #6, except that you will divide the dough in half, shape into 2 balls and let rise one more hour.
- Meanwhile, prepare the herb and garlic blend: in a bowl combine finely minced garlic, paprika, oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), olive oil and salt. Stir all ingredients together and set aside.
To assemble
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Have a second baking sheet without parchment paper on hand.
- Flatten one of the balls of dough on a well floured surface using your fingertips to stretch it out into a rectangle or oval shape approximately 10 x 8 inches. It does not need to be perfect.
- Carefully lift the dough and place on the baking sheet without parchment paper and brush the entire surface with the oil mixture.
- Fold the dough as you would an envelope, that is fold one of the long edges toward the center. Brush the dough with the oil. Then fold the other long edge toward the center and brush with oil.
- Carefully flip the dough and place seam side down on the parchment covered pan. Brush the surface with oil.
- Repeat with the second ball of dough.
- Let rest for an additional 45 minutes.
To bake
- Meanwhile preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- After the final resting period, bake the breads for 25 minutes or until golden brown underneath and on top.
- Let rest a few mintues before slicing.
Recipe Notes
-Due to it’s high dydration, you’ll notice that no knead dough is much sticker thatn your average pizza dough.
-Flour your hands and work surface generously, as needed, in order to handle the dough.
-Do not worry if the dough is not perfectly shaped, it will turn out perfect once baked.
-Try experimenting with different herbs such as rosemary, thyme, basil or perhaps a blend of your favorite herbs.
-If you wish, sprinkle some grated Parmigiano cheese over the surface of the bread.
It can however, in my opinon, the flavor of smoked paprika is too bold and overpowering for this garlic herb bread.
Wrap well in foil or plastic wrap and place in a well sealed freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and heat in the oven until warmed through.
Keep leftovers well wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below!
*****
Check out more delicious no knead pizza dough recipes!
- Olive and Cheese Buns
- Chicory, Egg and Cheese Stuffed Pizza
- Mortadella, Pistachio and Mozzarella Stuffed Rolls
- No Knead Fig and Walnut Bread
- No Knead Fig and Rosemary Focaccia
- Sfincione Bagherese
- Fried Pizza Dough (pizza fritta)
- Parigina Pizza
- Scacciata with Cauliflower and Black Olives
- Sausage and Potato Scacciata
- Homemade Pizza Rolls with Ham and Cheese
- Skillet Focaccia Bread
- Focaccia Messinese
Ingredients
For the parika, garlic, oregano oil
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp. sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp. dry oregano
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- pinch red pepper flakes optional
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Instructions
Prepare the dough.
- A minimum of 6 hours or up to 24 hours prior, prepare your no knead pizza dough as instructed here. Follow instructions until step #6, except that you will divide the dough in half, shape into 2 balls and let rise one more hour.
Prepare the paprika, garlic and oreganooil
- Meanwhile, prepare the herb and garlic blend: in a bowl combine finely minced garlic, paprika, oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), olive oil and salt. Stir all ingredients together and set aside.
To assemble
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Have a second baking sheet without parchment paper on hand.
- Flatten one of the balls of dough on a well floured surface using your fingertips to stretch it out into a rectangular or oval shape approximately 10 x 8 inches. It does not need to be perfect.
- Lift the dough and place on the baking sheet without parchment paper and brush the entire surface with the oil mixture.
- Fold the dough as you would an envelope, that is fold one of the long edges toward the center. Brush the dough with the oil. Then fold the other long edge toward the center and brush with oil.
- Carefully flip the dough and place seam side down on the parchment covered pan. Brush the surface with oil.
- Repeat with the second ball of dough. Let rest for an additional 45 minutes.
To bake
- Meanwhile preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. After the final resting period, bake the breads for 25 until golden brown underneath and on top. Let rest a few mintues before slicing.
Notes
-Flour your hands and work surface, as needed, in order to handle the dough.
-Do not worry if the dough is not perfectly shaped, it will turn out perfect once baked. Substitutions and Variations: -Try experimenting with different herbs such as rosemary, thyme, basil or perhaps a blend of your favorite herbs.
-If you wish, sprinkle some grated Parmigiano cheese over the surface of the bread. Can smoked paprika be used in place of sweet paprika? It can however, in my opinon, the flavor of smoked paprika is too bold and overpowering for this garlic herb bread. Can this bread be frozen? Wrap well in foil or plastic wrap and place in a well sealed freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and heat in the oven until warmed through. How long does it keep for? Keep leftovers well wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days.  Â
My family makes this as one of their traditional Calabrian recipes! I haven’t been able to find it anywhere when trying to find out about it. Thanks for sharing!
Hello Kristen, you are the first person who has told me they are aware of this recipe, thank you for your feedback! I thought my mom was the only one who made this bread!
Same here! My family is from this super tiny town in Northern Calabria, and I have been trying to trace it’s roots. Any chance your ancestors are from the Northern Cosenza area?
Hi Kristen, not that I know of but you never know! Then again, there is much similarity in some of the recipes from Calabria and Sicily due to their proximity.
My great grandparents were from Cosenza and our family always made this bread but without garlic! Though, I do love the addition of garlic. We also called it “riganata bread.” Until now, I’ve never come across someone else who has heard of it!
Hello Jeff, thank you, in fact you are right my mother said it was called “rianata” very similar to “riganata”. I did not think anyone else knew that name! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Nadia,
I grew up in Philadelphia and we had a small Italian bakery that sold riganata. They were shaped like a wreath. You could purchase it either hot or sweet. They also had excellent breads. I haven’t seen it for many, many years but as soon as I saw your photos, it brought back the memories. Thanks you for that and I may have to give the recipe a try!
Hello Steve, my mom did refer to it as riganata! Never saw the wreath shaped one and I’m curious about the sweet version, what did it have inside? Hope you give it a try and thank you for your comment!
Nadia,
Thanks for your reply. I was young but now that I think about it, it wasn’t really sweet. It just didn’t have the red pepper flakes in it….delicious either way….
Hi Steve, I got it, thank you for clarifying and I’m sure it was always delicious!
I made it exactly as per recipe, it was bland. It needs something to give it a bit more flavour. Olives or anchovies might do the trick.
Hi Tom, my mom prepares it in this simple way but your idea of adding olives or anchovies for bolder flavor is definitely a great idea. Thanks for sharing!
I cannot wait to try this Nadia … have done your easy no-knead pizza dough so this should be a snap. I am often looking for something to snack on and my feeling is that this will be my go-to. Many thanks as always!
Hello Anna, it is really a great snack! My family and I devoured ours in 2 days, I do hope you enjoy it!
This recipe is just about the same as my mother made, except for the addition of anchovies. Both sides of my family are from Southern Italy, Cozenza. I do not know the Italian name, but it was delicious. I know this recipe will be as well. Thank you for sharing.
Hello Marie, I imagine it would be good with the anchovies! I also do not know the traditional name for this bread, my mom simply called it bread with paprika! But if you ever find out the Italian name for it, please let me know. Thank you!