- 2 heads garlic (3 inches wide)
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 (4-inch) sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 (4-inch) sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
- Cut off and discard 1/2 inch from tops of garlic heads, exposing cloves. Put garlic in a pie plate with oil, herbs, salt, and pepper and cover plate tightly with a double layer of foil. Roast until garlic is golden and tender, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
- When garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze cloves into a bowl and pour oil through a fine-mesh sieve onto garlic. Mash well with a fork and season with salt.