Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine the softened salted butter, the finely minced or grated garlic, the chopped fresh parsley, and the black pepper. If you're using Parmesan, add it in now.

Mix everything together with a fork until it's thoroughly combined into a smooth, fragrant paste. You should see little flecks of green parsley and garlic evenly distributed throughout the butter.

Lay your 8 slices of bread out on the prepared baking tray. Don't let them overlap, as this will cause them to steam rather than toast.

Divide the garlic butter mixture evenly among the slices of bread. What works best for me is to put a dollop on each slice first, then go back and spread it right to the very edges using the back of a spoon or a butter knife.

Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 5-7 minutes. This first bake is to allow the butter to melt completely and soak into the bread.

After the initial bake, turn the oven setting to grill on a medium-high heat.

Place the tray back under the grill for another 2-3 minutes. Watch it like a hawk during this stage! You want the edges to turn a deep golden brown and the butter to be bubbling, but it can catch and burn very quickly.

Once beautifully golden, remove the tray from the oven. Let the garlic bread cool for a minute before serving it warm.