Easy Roasted Garlic

• A few heads of garlic
• Oil
• Salt and pepper
• A few sprigs of thyme
• 1 large bay leaf

Roasting garlic tames its bite and gives the cloves a smooth, spreadable texture. Here’s how to make it at home: Cut the ends off a few heads and put them on a sheet of foil. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, and add a few sprigs of thyme and 1 large bay leaf. Wrap up the garlic and roast at 400° until very tender, about 1 hour. I roast six heads at a time, let them cool, then remove the cloves and mash them into a paste. Roasted whole cloves and paste freeze well, so stash them away and add to sauces, stir into ricotta, or spread on hot bread with good olive oil.