Editor's note:This recipe is from chef Wolfgang Puck.
I grew up only about 280 miles west of Transylvania, as the bat flies. So maybe my mother cooked with so much garlic to keep the vampires away from my sisters, my brother, and me. Actually, Austrians, like many Europeans, love the powerful bulb, and as a child I ate more than my share of it in soups, stews, sautés, roasts, and other savory dishes. But only as a professional chef did I learn the secret of roasting garlic. Because its texture is buttery and rich, I like to spread it on crostini. Once you've spread the roasted garlic over your toasts you can choose from a number of toppings.
Ingredients
Makes 4 servings
For the roasted garlic:
For the crostini:
Assorted topping options:
Step 1
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Put the garlic in a roasting pan and drizzle on the olive oil. Toss to coat thoroughly. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the garlic bulbs are very tender but not overly brown. Test by carefully giving a bulb a gentle squeeze while protecting your hand with a folded kitchen towel or an oven glove. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Step 2
2. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut each head of garlic crosswise in half, midway between its leaf and root ends, to expose all the cloves inside. Their pulp will be golden brown and as soft as butter. You can squeeze it out of each half by hand or scoop it out with a small spoon or knife. Transfer the roasted garlic to a small bowl, pour in any olive oil from the baking dish, and stir and mash with a fork to form a smooth purée. You'll have 1/3 to 1/2 cup of purée, depending on the size of the garlic heads.
Step 3
3. To make the Roasted Garlic Crostini, preheat the oven to 375° F. Brush the bread slices with the olive oil and arrange them on a baking sheet. Bake them until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let them cool to room temperature. Spread the puréed roasted garlic evenly on the tops of the crostini. Top the crostini with any of the options listed above, or make an assortment. Spread some with 1 tablespoon each of goat cheese; then decorate the cheese with strips of roasted bell pepper or a mixture of sun-dried tomato strips and capers, or a smear of tapenade. In place of the goat cheese, top others with diced tomato tossed with some fresh basil, a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar; with prosciutto and Parmesan cheese; with anchovy fillets and freshly ground black pepper; or with slices of Roma tomato and fresh mozzarella, topped with fresh basil leaves.
•The roasted garlic will keep for up to 3 days, covered, in the refrigerator.
•In addition to using the garlic for the crostini below, try mixing it into stir-fried vegetables and spooning it onto pizzas; stir it into risottos or your mashed potatoes; add it to sauces for meat, poultry, seafood, or pasta; or purée it with butter to make the best garlic bread you can imagine.
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Reviews (8)
Back to TopSounds amazing. Would there be anything to putting the roasted garlic on the bread then re-roasting that (or broiling)?
msnyc21
2/24/2021
我左ove roasted garlic and this recipe is another way to use it in addition to adding it to mashed potatoes. To address another reviewers concern about burnt cloves; yes you should wrap tightly in foil. I start by cutting off the top of the head (not the root end), exposing a bit of each clove. Drizzle on about a little oil, you dont need much. I put it in a 400 deg toaster oven for about 30 mins. You nose tells you when it's ready. After it cools squeeze the head and the garlic slides out of the skins.
Shaqgo123
Nj
7/30/2013
We really enjoyed these crostini. Roasting the garlic made the spread subtle and buttery. I put the bread under the broiler as it wasn't toasting well and flipped to brown both sides. Will definitely make again.
Anonymous
Toronto
7/31/2010
I was looking for a method for roasting garlic and this was great. It's much simpler than other recipes I've tried and gave me just the results I was looking for. The only thing was some of the cloves ended up sort of burnt. I don't know if that's normal or if there's any way to prevent this such as roasting for less time or wrapping with foil. Any suggestions?
AnHS
Berkeley, CA
4/22/2010
I will definitely make this dish again! My friends were impressed with the various topplings on the smoky garlic crostini served. They thought that I ordered them from the Deli caterer. A good choice of "canapes".
tkwan
Singapore
10/16/2006
I cut the garlic roasting time in half by microwaving the garlic heads for a minute first in a ceramic garlic roaster.
arlenewes
3/1/2006
Better yet, prepare the crostini with roasted garlic paste, then set out on a table with all of the assorted toppings on the side for guests to assemble as they wish. More fun, less work.
Anonymous
3/1/2006
What a super party idea. Almost negates having a main course. Roasted Garlic is absolutely perfect for this.
Anonymous
Gulf Breeze, Fl
2/24/2006
