Roasted Garlic Paste and Oil 

Inspired by Michael Chiarello's book Flavored Oils: 50 Recipes for Cooking with Infused Oils.

I have, rolling around my head, the idea to make a loaf of garlic bread.  Not the bread with garlic spread on it's slices.  Garlic stirred into the dough itself.  Is your mouth watering just thinkin' about it?  But first, I need to roast a few heads of garlic. And while I'm at it, I may as well make garlic olive oil, too. Right?

HERE'S WHAT I DID

• 4 or 5 whole garlic heads
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• a pinch or two Italian seasoning (optional)

Heat the oven to 375ºF.

Peel away the garlic skins and toss the clean cloves into a shallow baking pan.  Get your kids to help, they love to pick things. Sprinkle on the salt, pepper and optional seasonings, then pour the oil over the top.  Cover the pan, loosely, with aluminum foil, allowing for steam to escape.  Bake for 3o to 45 minutes.  (30 minutes produces a fork tender clove, 45 minutes produces a softer spreadable clove.)

Drain off the oil in a tightly covered, sterilized glass jar or bottle and USE WITHIN 1 WEEK.  Makes about 3/4 cup roasted garlic oil.

To make the paste, mash the cloves with a fork or give them a quick spin in a 1 cup food processor.  Makes about 1/2 cup garlic paste.

Last night, I put a dollop of roasted garlic paste on my pasta plate like a condiment; that was good.  I spread it over a fresh slice of Bran-Enriched Bread; that was good.  I stirred it into my homemade tomato sauce; lip smacking smooth.

The roasted garlic oil is said to be wonderful added to vinaigrettes, for sauteing vegetables, or in any recipe calling for roasted garlic oil.

COOK'S NOTES

If you have concerns or questions about storing garlic oil, or have only heard about botulism in homemade garlic oil.

PLEASE visit these links:

GARLIC,Safe Methods to Store, Preserve and Enjoy, Calaveras County Agriculture Extension

Cook's Illustrated Forum: Garlic oil & botulism