Warning! These are extremely addictive if you’re a Garlic Lover. Garlic Fingers is already or will be your new love.
Garlic Fingers is another true Maritime Food. I remember the first time I ate this. I was just a kid. At the time, you could buy – I forget (10″ or 12″) for $1.99 with a side of Donair Sauce. I took a bite and was instantly awed. This was so good and cheap.
Growing up I often ordered these from various pizza places and still make them to this day. They’re quite simple and an awesome snack. Especially with Donair Sauce on the side for dipping.
Parkay Garlic Butter
Most restaurants do not make their own Garlic Butter. Instead, they buy from the local cash & carry or Saputo’s. It comes in a big bucket, white and green, if I remember correctly. The one at the cash & carry is the one that almost all restaurants use.
PARKAY GARLIC SPREAD INGREDIENTS
Partially Hydrogenated soya Oil, Modified Milk Ingredients, Salt, Dehydrated Garlic powder, Dehydrated Parsley, Vegetable Monoglycerides and Diglycerides, Soya Lecithin, Sodium Benzoate, Garlic oil, Natural & Artificial Flavour, Beta Carotene, BHA-BHT.
Garlic Finger Dough
Garlic Fingers are made with Pizza Dough. Use the Hand Tossed Pizza Dough and roll it out flat. We’re really not all that concerned about preserving the air bubbles. Garlic Fingers don’t usually have a crust, you can if you want to. But typically they are Sauced & Cheesed right to the edge.
Place Cornmeal or Flour on a flat surface to flatten the dough out before transferring to a Pizza Screen or Pan. Pizzas are usually done on Cornmeal, while Garlic Fingers typically use only flour. It’s really a matter of preference, though.
Pizza Screens
Place the Dough on a Pizza Screen or a Pizza Pan. The Pizza Pan method allows you to stretch the dough out with your fingertips, creating indents in the dough which will hold pockets of Garlic Finger Sauce. This creates an Extra Greasy Pan of Garlic Fingers.
Aioli Garlic Butter
Garlic Fingers is way more than just combining a few cloves of Garlic with Butter, seasoning with some Herbs & Spices and then calling it a day. To get that true East Coast Garlic Finger Taste, you got to use Aioli & Butter. How much is a matter of preference. Typically, for Garlic Fingers, a ratio of 2:1 or 1:1 is good.
The Aioli is the trick to it all. It emulsifies large amounts of Garlic with Oil that cooks up extremely fast and offers that Garlic Flavor you can only get from Aioli.
Aioli
The recipe given for Aioli is for a Dipping Sauce. Where the emulsification is important. Whenever making Garlic Finger Sauce, it’s not. So the Jar version which creates a smaller batch can be made in minutes and used with butter to create the base Aioli Garlic Butter.
Butter
Add Aioli to Butter at a ratio of 2:1 Aioli & Butter, or at 1:1. Whichever you prefer.
Combining both Aioli & Butter establishes the base Garlic Spread to use for Garlic Fingers & Garlic Bread. What Seasonings you choose to add is entirely up to you. The Herbs & Spices can be sprinkled after brushing the dough with the Spread or included with the spread.
How to make Aioli Garlic Butter
The Base Garlic Finger Sauce or Aioli Garlic Butter is Aioli & Butter. Instead of the time consuming process requiring patience to create the Aioli. We can do this up in a Jar in a matter of minutes. Especially so where the consistency of the Aioli isn’t really a factor.
This method I believe is much better and more practical than the older recipe used for Garlic Fingers listed in the notes for the given recipe.
Get yourself a Glass Jar with a mouth opening large enough to fit an immersion blender in. Add in a Whole head of Garlic Cloves and Shake the Jar like you mean it with the lid on. This should peel all if not most of the Garlic in seconds. Empty out unto the counter and clean the jar out.
Place the peeled Garlic Cloves back into the Jar with the remaining ingredients, except the Butter and puree. Add the Butter in and puree again for Quick & Easy Aioli Garlic Butter.
Aioli Garlic Butter
- 1 Head of Garlic
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
- Or 1/2 tsp Butter Popcorn Seasoning for extra Buttery Flavors
- 1 Cup of Neutral Oil
- 1/2 C Butter -added last after Pureeing and pureed again with the Aioli
Lemon juice is typically in Aioli and can be added anywhere from 1/4 tsp – 1 tsp for a little bit of Zest. However, I really much prefer Mayonnaise added in. Especially for Garlic Fingers. It seems to round out the flavors much better. Anywhere from 1 to 2 Tbl added in when making the Aioli Garlic Butter for Garlic Fingers. Although this is optional, you can choose to omit both the Lemon Juice or Mayonnaise.
Garlic Finger Seasoning
With just the base of Aioli & Butter for a Aioli Garlic Butter, additional Seasonings can be added on top such as Chili Flakes or Aleppo and Parsley. Dill weed is another good one that works well.
When seasoning on top of the Butter. The Fats will help assist in extracting more flavor from the seasoning than it would if you seasoned the top. Although additional seasoning can be added to the top as well for Aesthetics. The Seasoning can also be placed in the Garlic Spread, either way works.
Garlic Finger Sauce
To the base Aioli Garlic Butter, add in the following after pureeing.
- 1 Tbl of Mayonnaise
- 1 tsp of Dehydrated Onion & Garlic Flakes with 1 tsp of Chives
- A Chopped Green Onion
- 1/8 tsp Dill Weed & Ground Onion Seeds
This is one aspect that I continued to experiment with, trying out various things. However, I think this one is the best Garlic Finger Sauce and is now my go to for sure.
The Mayo can be added in to puree which will also assist in thickening or added afterward. Dehydrated Onion & Garlic Flakes assist in boosting Flavors and are added into the sauce so that they can rehydrate. Give it about 10 minutes before using the Garlic Finger Sauce to ensure that both the Onion and Garlic Flakes can rehydrate.
Chives are that special flavor that works really well for some tasty Garlic Fingers. Green Onions are just nice in Garlic Fingers and pair up well with the Garlic, adding another element of Onion & Garlic Flavors. Dill Weed is used to lift the flavors up a bit. Finally and optional is ground Onion Seeds. Just a small amount is excellent with Cheese.
Garlic Finger Cheese
In Pizzerias, the standard Cheese is a High Moisture Mozzarella Cheese. The same type that goes on Pizzas.
I much prefer a Blend of high Moisture Mozzarella Cheese & Provolone, blended at a ratio of 3:1. It makes a big difference. Just shred up the Mozzarella Cheese and then the Provolone. Combine 3 Cups of Mozzarella Cheese to 1 Cup of Provolone Cheese and mix well in a Ziploc bag and freeze. Use this blend right here and for other recipes like Pizzas, Lasagnas, and Pasta Bakes.
Saputo Mozzarella Cheese
Run the Mozzarella through a food Processor to shred. Empty 3 Cups into a freezer bag.
Provolone Cheese
Run the Provolone through a food Processor and add 1 cup to the Mozzarella Cheese. Toss to mix well.
Mozzarella Cheese Blend
Use the Cheese blend for these Garlic Fingers and freeze the remaining Cheese.
Freezing Garlic Fingers
These also freeze quite nicely, so if you wanted to make a bunch of 10-inchers. Just place them onto a baking sheet to freeze and once they are frozen, stack them in a bag. When the need hits, take one out and place it into the preheated oven, the highest setting it will go.
Greasy Garlic Fingers
For people who are Crazy for Garlic. Brush a Pizza Pan with Garlic Butter. Place the dough on top and create small indents into the Pizza dough while spreading the Dough out the size of the pan. You may have to stretch, allow to rest covered and repeat. The small indents will create small pockets where the Garlic Butter will pool.
Brush it generously with Garlic Butter. Top with Cheese and then drizzle melted Garlic Butter on top of the cheese. This will add moisture and more Garlic Flavors. Top with Fresh Parsley.
You might be tempted to use the Papa Johns Garlic Sauce for the Garlic Butter. While it does work, I find the Aioli Garlic Butter is more suited for this, offering better flavor. Although, Papa John’s Garlic Sauce is crazy good to include on the side to dip in and add an even more punch of Garlic Flavors.
Garlic Finger Ideas
Rectangular Garlic Fingers
Rolled out Hand Tossed Pizza Dough or stretched in a rectangular shape.
Same preparation as Twisty Bread where the Dough gets stretched into a rectangular shape and then the breadsticks are sliced. Here we just shape it into a rectangle and brush it with garlic butter and top with Cheese. Optionally with Bacon Bits and Cook.
Rectangular Garlic Fingers
To cut these, slice the length, then turn 90 degrees and slice fingers.
Garlic Fingers with Bacon
Ordering some Bacon to go on top of the Garlic Bread is quite common. However, if making this from home, there is another trick we can use to really infuse the Bacon Flavor. Add a bit of bacon Grease to the Garlic Spread.
The Bacon Grease adds Flavor & Greasiness that can only be enjoyed with True Maritime Style Garlic Fingers. Don’t forget the Donair Sauce.
Garlic Fingers with Bacon
Mince Bacon and cook over medium heat until crisp.
Donair Garlic Fingers
Cook up some Donair Meat and add some for a really nice treat. These are really very good and with some Donair Sauce on the side.
Donair Garlic Fingers
Add some thinly sliced Donair meat.
Garlic Fingers with Bagel Seasoning
Sprinkle some Maritime Bagel Seasoning on top & Bake, or Sprinkle some on after it is cooked. Either way, Everything Bagel Seasoning adds a nice flavor, upping the Onion & Garlic taste.
Maritime Bagel Seasoning
Garlic Fingers with Garlic Butter
This one is made with Garlic Butter. Which is really close to the Garlic Finger Sauce in this recipe. For Garlic Fingers, you of course want Garlic Butter. But the real magic is in combination with Aioli. That is where the main flavoring and greasiness is coming from. While this Garlic Butter uses half butter and half Aioli, you can up the Aioli by another half. Creating an even stronger Garlic taste throughout.
Garlic Fingers with Garlic Butter
The same Garlic Butter that is used to make Garlic Bread is used here for Garlic Fingers.
Garlic Finger Dipping Sauce
Donair Sauce
- 1 can Evaporated Milk
- 3/4 – 1 can Sugar or about 1 Cup of Sugar
- 2 Tbl Vinegar
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
Garlic Sauce
- 1/4 C Unsalted Butter
- 1/4 C Sunflower Oil
- 1 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Butter Popcorn Seasoning
- Pinch Citric Acid – About 1/4 of 1/8 tsp, very small amount
Aioli
There are a couple of ways to make Aioli. The jar Aioli is perfectly fine to make and combine with Butter. If the emulsification is important in order to use it as a dip then the Aioli recipe given is best.
Equipment
- 1 Pizza Screen or Pan
- 1 Pizza Stone
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Brush for spreading the Garlic Butter
- 1 Glass Jar with a mouth opening large enough to fit an immersion blender
- 1 Immersion Blender
Ingredients
- 1 M- L Hand Tossed Pizza Dough - Medium or Large
- As Desired Mozzarella Cheese Blend - 3:1 of Mozzarella to Provolone
- As Desired Bacon Bits - Optional
- 1 portion Donair Sauce - For Dipping
Garlic Finger Sauce
- 1 Head Garlic - Peeled
- 1/2 tsp Butter Popcorn Seasoning
- 1 C Neutral Oil
- 1/2 C Butter
- 1-2 Tbl Mayonnaise - Optional
- 1 Stalk Green Onions - chopped fine
- 1 tsp Onion Flakes, Garlic Flakes & Chives - each
- 1/8 tsp Dill Weed
- 1/8 tsp Ground Onion Seeds - Optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to the highest setting it will go with a Pizza Stone and prepare the Garlic Finger Sauce.Place peeled Garlic into the jar with Butter Popcorn Seasoning and Oil. With Mayonnaise if using. Puree until smooth, then add in the Butter to puree. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix well. Set aside until needed.
- Roll the Pizza Dough out on a floured or Cornmeal surface, we are not after a crust, so roll all the way out. Shake off any excess flour or cornmeal and transfer to a pizza pan or screen.
- Spread Garlic Finger Sauce generously over Pizza Dough. Top with Mozzarella Cheese blend. Add Bacon Bits if desired.
- Cook in preheated oven until done, about 6 minutes. At the last minute, move the Garlic Fingers off the screen and directly on the Pizza stone to crisp the bottom. Optionally broil the top for color if needed.
- Slice down the middle, turn it 90 degrees, and slice about 1-inch fingers. Optionally Garnish with Parsley, Aleppo or Chili Flakes & Parmesan. Serve with Donair Sauce and with other Sauces.
Notes
Old Recipe
For those who still want access to the old recipe, it is shown below. However, I believe the listed recipe is much better in terms of flavor and much easier to put together using the jar method to create the Aioli Garlic Butter Base and in smaller amounts. It’s just much quicker and easier. Garlic Spread- 2 C Aioli
- 1 C Butter
- 1 Tbl Parsley
- 1 tsp Onion Powder & Aleppo Chili Flakes – Aleppo can be substituted with Chili Flakes
- Additional Herbs & Spices – Optional