1 packet or 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast ¼ cup granulated sugar, divided 2 ¼ cups warm water, divided 4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or safflower 2 tablespoons salted butter, very soft 1 large garlic clove, green sprout removed

In a small bowl, combine the yeast, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, and ¼ cup of the water. Set it aside until it is creamy and starting to bubble a bit, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, using the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the flour, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the rest of the granulated sugar. Pour in the yeast mixture when it’s ready and moisten the flour using the paddle attachment with your hand (helps prevent the flour from exploding when you start the mixer). Attach the paddle and on low speed, start adding the remaining water slowly. Increase the speed to medium as the dough begins to form. Use all of the water, and run the mixer on medium-high until the dough is smooth and batter-like, about 5 minutes. Coat a medium sized bowl with a teaspoon of canola oil, and also coat a rubber spatula or rubber bench scraper, as well as your hands. Use the coated scraper and your hands to pour the dough into the bowl, scraping down the mixer bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (not against the dough), and cover that with a clean kitchen towel. Set it aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, 90 minutes to 2 hours. Slightly deflate the risen dough by gently scraping it down the sides of the bowl with the oiled spatula or bench scraper, folding it over on itself a bit. Cover the bowl again with the plastic and towel and set it aside in a warm place to rise again for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line a 9 x 13 x 2-inch quarter sheet pan with nonstick foil. Place in the oven on the middle shelf and heat to 500°F for 30 minutes. When the dough is risen, remove the sheet pan from the oven and coat it with the remaining neutral oil. Use the oiled scraper or rubber spatula to scrape the dough from the bowl as you pour it into the hot sheet pan. Start at one short end of the sheet pan and fill it with the dough as you move the bowl along with the dough to the other end of the pan. Use your oiled fingers or the bench scraper to very gently push the dough into the corners of the pan. It won’t be perfect, and that’s fine. Less touching is better. Reduce the oven temperature to 425°F., or 400 convection. Bake the bread until it is deep golden brown, about 20 minutes or so. While the bread bakes, make the garlic butter glaze. Coarsely chop the garlic, then mince it to a paste with a pinch of the kosher salt. Stir the garlic into the softened butter. When the bread is done, set the hot pan on a rack. Glaze the top by generously coating it with the garlic butter using a small knife or spatula. When it’s cool enough to handle, remove the bread from the pan and cool on a rack until it is nearly room-temperature before slicing into pieces to serve.