Use garlic making roasted potatoes

food-sciencegarlic

A recipe of roasted potatoes calls for some garlic to be put in the oven with potatoes that are covered with salt and black/red pepper and rosemary. I don't understand what's the role of garlic here, could someone explain?

Best Answer

I assume the recipe says to put the garlic in the pan with the potatoes, not just in the oven with them, in which case the garlic will flavour the fat you are roasting the potatoes in, and so will subtly flavour the potatoes themselves.