Walk into almost any bar in Riga and order a beer, and a basket of these will very likely follow. Ķiploku grauzdiņi, garlic toasts, are fingers of dark rye bread fried until crisp outside and still a little chewy within, then tossed while hot with raw garlic and salt so the heat just takes the edge off. They are served with a dip, usually a garlicky cheese sauce or sour cream with herbs, and they are the reason Latvian bar snacks need no other introduction.

They began as a way to rescue stale bread, which they do brilliantly. Neighbors in Lithuania and Estonia make their own versions, but in Latvia they are close to a national pastime, and the ideal thing to pass around when the whole room is watching the same screen.

Sour cream and dill dip

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240 g) full fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 cup (25 g) finely grated hard cheese
• 1 pinch salt and black pepper

Method

1. Stir all the dip ingredients together in the small bowl, taste for salt, cover and chill.

The garlic toasts

Ingredients

• 8 oz (225 g) dark rye bread
• about 1 cup (240 ml) sunflower oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon flaky or fine salt

Method

1. Cut the bread into sticks about 1/2 inch (1 cm) wide and 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm) long. Leave the crust on.
2. Pour oil into the skillet to a depth of about 1/2 inch (1 cm) and heat over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Fry the bread in a single layer, in two or three batches, turning with tongs, for 2 to 3 minutes in all.
4. Lift onto the paper towels for 30 seconds, then into the large bowl. Add the garlic and salt and toss well while the bread is still hot. Repeat with the next batch.

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