When a recipe calls for cloves of garlic do you use them whole?

If you really like garlic, you can thinly slice for this recipe. The larger the pieces, the more flavor it will have. You can also chop or use a garlic press that will give you crushed garlic. I usually either slice or use the garlic press. When I chop, I always touch the garlic too much and my hands smell like garlic for several hours.