Roasted Garlic Paste

4 dozen peeled garlic cloves
drizzle of olive oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a mixing bowl, toss the garlic with some of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place the garlic on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast until golden, about 20. Remove from the oven and cool completely. In a mini-food processor, fitted with a metal blade, puree the garlic until smooth. Drizzle in enough olive oil to make the mixture spread-able. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. The paste will keep for up to 1 week.

Yields: about 1 cup

Recipes courtesy of Emeril Lagasse, 1999