Fresh Basil Roasted Garlic Toast Recipes

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Steps:

• Mix butter, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and garlic powder in a bowl. Arrange Italian bread on a large baking sheet and spread each slice with garlic butter mixture. Place baking sheet in freezer and freeze until bread solid, about 1 hour. Transfer bread to a resealable plastic freezer bag until ready to use.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Arrange desired number of slices, butter-side up, on a baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until bread is toasted and butter is melted, 5 to 7 minutes.

Steps:

• In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter, parsley, basil and garlic. Cover and microwave until butter is melted. Stir in cheese., Cut the bread in half lengthwise; place cut side down on an uncovered grill over medium heat for 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Brush cut side with the butter mixture. Grill or broil 1-2 minutes longer.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Place bread cut sides up on baking sheet. Process basil in food processor or blender until finely chopped. Add butter, oil, cheese, and garlic; process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread basil butter evenly over each bread half.
• Bake until golden, 10-12 minutes. Cut bread into 4-inch lengths and serve hot.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Slice the tops off of garlic heads so the tip of each clove is exposed. Place garlic on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until garlic is soft, about 30 minutes.
• Set the oven to broil. Slice the loaf of bread in half horizontally, and place cut-side up on a baking sheet.
• Squeeze the cloves of garlic from their skins into a medium bowl. Stir in the butter, parsley, and Parmesan cheese until well blended. Spread onto the cut sides of the bread.
• Broil bread until toasted, about 5 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Wrap garlic cloves tightly in foil. Cut zucchini into 1/4-inch-thick slices and season with salt and pepper. Put foil-wrapped garlic and zucchini on a baking sheet and roast in middle of oven until garlic is tender and zucchini is pale golden, about 15 minutes. Unwrap garlic and cool.
• Have ready a bowl of ice water. In a saucepan of boiling water blanch basil and parsley 10 seconds and drain in a sieve. Refresh herbs in ice water to stop cooking and drain in sieve. Sauce ingredients may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and kept separately, covered and chilled.
• In a blender blend garlic, zucchini, herbs, water, and lemon juice until smooth, about 1 minute, and season with salt and pepper.