Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Fill a big pot with water and heat it until it boils. Stir in 2 tablespoons of salt and the pasta and follow the instructions on the package for cooking time. Before you pour out the water, save 1 1/2 cups of it for later. Then drain the pasta.
- In a large, shallow pot or a 12-inch saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir frequently for 2 minutes, or until it starts to turn golden on the edges. Do not overcook the garlic! Then, add the red pepper flakes and stir for another 30 seconds. Next, carefully pour the reserved pasta-cooking water into the pot with the garlic and oil and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, season with 1 teaspoon of salt, and let it simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by about a third.
- Combine the garlic sauce and the pasta that has been drained. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley and Parmesan. Let the pasta sit for 5 minutes without heat so the sauce can soak in. Check the seasoning and adjust if needed. Serve it warm with more Parmesan on the side if desired.
Notes
Be careful not to burn the garlic. The dish will become bitter. This probably the most difficult part of this recipe to nail. Undercooked, the garlic overpowers, overcooked, it get bitter. If you have concerns - cook the garlic longer at a lower heat, like med-low. Also make sure your garlic slices are all the same thickness - as much as possible.