Title: Roasted Garlic Paste and Oil
Categories: Condiment
Yield: 1 Servings

1	lb	Whole garlic heads
		(6 to 8 heads)
1/2	c	Extra-virgin olive oil (use 1 cup for roasted garlic oil)
		Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375F. Slice off top third of each garlic head and discard or save for another use. Peel off outer layers of skin. Place close together in a shallow baking dish just large enough to hold the garlic. Pour oil over garlic and season amply with salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until cloves begin to pop out of their skins, about 1 hour. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes or until golden brown.

To make the paste, squeeze the garlic cloves into a bowl and mash them. To store, cover with a thin layer of the olive oil in which it baked and refrigerate up to 2 days. Reserve baking oil in a tightly covered, sterilized glass jar or bottle and use within 1 week.

Makes about 3/4 cup garlic paste and 1/3 cup garlic oil; or 3/4 cup roasted garlic oil if using 1 cup oil.

Note: the roasted garlic-flavored baking oil is wonderful simply added to vinaigrettes, for sauting vegetables, or in any recipe calling for roasted garlic oil.

Flavored Oils by Michael Chiarello ISBN 0-8118-0898-X pg 21

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