Begin by placing the blade of a serrated knife firmly against the garlic bulb about 1/2-inch away from the stem.

Cut the stem end off of the garlic head.

Place the heads of garlic into a casserole dish.

Drizzle the cut sides of the garlic bulbs liberally with oil.

Season the cut sides with salt and cracked pepper.

Turn each head over so that the oiled cut sides are facing down.

Place a piece of parchment paper over the garlic bulbs.

Place a sheet of foil over the parchment. Crimp the edges tightly around the edge of the dish.

Roast the garlic at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until the cloves are easily pierced with the tip of a knife.

Allow the garlic to cool slightly. Squeeze the root end of each garlic bulb. The cloves should come easily out of the bulb. Place a fine sieve into a bowl to catch the garlic cloves.

The papery skin can be discarded or wrapped in cheesecloth pouches for use in soups/sauces for added flavor.

Press gently against the garlic with the side of a spoon. This will force the garlic through the mesh of the sieve.

Scrape the back side of the sieve.

Remove the fine garlic paste to a clean container.

The roasted garlic paste can be covered in a generous layer of oil and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one month.