WHOLE BAKED GARLIC WITH TOASTS

Whole Baked Garlic with Toasts image

Yield Serves 2 as a first course

Number Of Ingredients 3

1 large head of garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
ten 1/3-inch-thick diagonal slices of Italian or French bread

Steps:

Cut off the top quarter of the garlic with a sharp knife to expose the cloves, set the garlic in the middle of a large piece of foil, and drizzle it with 2 teaspoons of the oil. Crimp the foil around the garlic to enclose it completely and bake the garlic in the middle of a preheated 425°F. oven for 40 minutes. While the garlic is baking, brush the bread slices with the remaining oil and bake them on a baking sheet in the lower third of oven (below the garlic), turning them once, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are golden and crisp. Unwrap the garlic and put it on a serving plate surrounded by the toasts. To serve the garlic: Remove the softened cloves with a knife or fork, or turn the head of garlic upside down and squeeze out the cloves, and spread the garlic on the toasts.