Olive oil. Garlic. Pasta. That’s pretty much all it takes to make this deliciously simple pasta dish. I’ve been on a bit of “quick and easy” pasta kick lately. This one is perfect for a quick side dish or even as a main dish. Just add a tossed salad and this pasta works terrifically for a quick vegetarian-style main course. The quick sauté of the garlic in the olive oil ensures the garlic flavor infused through the whole dish. The garlic flavor is very present, but not at all overpowering. It’s really a fantastic pasta dish.
Ingredients
1 lb dried spaghetti
2 tbsp salt
⅓ cup olive oil
7-9 cloves of garlic, smashed and thinly sliced (depending on size of cloves)
¼ cup parsley, chopped
Optional: ½ to 1 tsp crushed red pepper
Grated parmesan cheese
Fill a medium sized stock pot about halfway with water, and bring it to a rapid simmer over medium or medium-high heat. Add the two tablespoons of salt and stir to dissolve into the water. Adjust the temperature to maintain a rapid simmer and add the dried spaghetti. Cook the pasta to al dente, roughly 10-12 minutes.
After the spaghetti has been cooking for about 5 minutes, warm another medium sized pot over medium heat. Once warm, add the olive oil to the pot and let it warm up for a few second and then add the garlic. Stir the garlic around and allow it to cook for about 2 minutes. You want the garlic to turn golden but not brown or burn. Adjust the heat lower if necessary or remove the pan from the heat to avoid the garlic overcooking. If you are adding crushed red pepper, add it to the oil about 30 seconds before the garlic is done cooking, stirring it to blend it through the oil.
When the spaghetti is al dente, using a pasta spoon, remove it from the water, allow it to drain briefly, and then add it directly into the pot with the garlic and oil. Make sure the pot with the garlic and oil is removed from the heat before adding the spaghetti. Add all of the drained spaghetti to the oil and garlic and toss it through to fully blend the pasta and sauce. Add in the parsley and one ladle (about ½ cup) of the starchy pasta water to the spaghetti. Stir and toss well to fully blend everything.
The pasta is ready to serve. Serve it in a pasta bowl (or other appropriate sized bowl) and top with a little grated parmesan cheese.