Ingredients

　　

Step 1

Roasting garlic turns its pungent flesh into a mildly sweet, buttery treat. Garlic heads differ greatly in size, but a medium-size one will yield about 2 tablespoons of puree.

　　

Step 2

To make roasted garlic, preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut about 1/2 inch from the top of garlic head, just enough to expose the cloves. Place the head of garlic in a small ovenproof baking dish, and drizzle it lightly with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil; cover with foil. Roast until soft and golden brown and the tip of a knife easily pierces the flesh, 30 to 45 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Using either your hands or the dull edge of a large knife, squeeze the cloves out of their skins and into a small bowl. Discard the papery skins. Using a fork, mash the cloves together until smooth. Use the roasted garlic immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.