Parmesan Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

How to Roast Garlic:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is heating up, prepare the garlic by peeling away any loose, papery layers of skin from the garlic bulbs, leaving the cloves intact. Trim the tops by using a sharp knife to slice off the top 1/4 inch of each garlic bulb. This exposes the cloves, allowing them to roast evenly.
2. Drizzle with Olive Oil: Place the prepared garlic bulbs on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle them with olive oil, ensuring that each bulb is generously coated. You can also add a pinch of salt if desired.
3. Wrap and Seal: Wrap the garlic bulbs in the aluminum foil, creating a sealed pouch. This will help retain the moisture and prevent the garlic from burning during roasting. Place the foil-wrapped garlic bulbs on a baking sheet or in an oven-safe dish and transfer them to the preheated oven. Roast for about 40-55 minutes. The garlic is ready when the cloves become soft and take on a golden-brown color.
4. Allow to Cool: Remove the roasted garlic from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Be cautious when unwrapping the foil, as the garlic will be hot. extract the roasted garlic cloves, simply squeeze the base of each clove, and they will pop out easily. The roasted garlic will be soft, creamy, and fragrant.

Mashed Potatoes:

1. Start by peeling the potatoes and then cutting them into small pieces. This helps the potatoes cook faster. Fill a large pot with water and generously sprinkle with salt, which helps to infuse flavor into the potatoes while they are cooking.
2. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the potatoes are completely tender. Carefully drain the water. Place the drained potatoes in a bowl. My favorite tool to use when mashing potatoes is a potato ricer because it makes them so creamy.
3. Add the butter, salt, pepper, and cream with the potatoes. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher, a stand mixer, or a hand mixer. Fold in the freshly grated parmesan cheese and roasted garlic.
4. Taste for seasonings and add more salt as needed. Garnish with more freshly grated parmesan cheese, butter, and cracked black pepper.
5. Option: If you want a toasty parmesan crust, sprinkle the top of the mashed potatoes with parmesan cheese and broil in the oven for several minutes.