Roasted garlic loses the harshness of fresh garlic and becomes mellow, creamy and rich in texture. Use the garlic in mashed potatoes, spread on bread, in sauces or -- if you're a true garlic lover -- eat it as a vegetable. Roast whole heads in the skin for ease of preparation and cooking. Roasting garlic is simple, it's hard to overcook it, and it can be done in the oven or a toaster oven with satisfying results.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. If you're using a toaster oven, preheat it to 400 F.
Cut off 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the top of each garlic head. This will make it easier to squeeze out when roasted.
Peel away some of the outer layers of the garlic bulb's skin and add the garlic to a small roasting pan. Drizzle the garlic with olive oil, spreading it over the bulbs so they're well coated.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil and roast until the garlic is soft when pressed, approximately 40 minutes to an hour in the oven. In the toaster oven, roast for 30 to 35 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure the garlic does not burn.
Allow the garlic to cool enough so you can handle it. Use your fingers to pull or squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.