Pasta with Garlic and Olive Oil
Cook pasta in aggressively salted water, then toss it in a pan where garlic has been slowly infused into good olive oil. The starch-heavy pasta water binds the oil to the noodles, creating a silky coat that holds the flavor together without needing a heavy sauce.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Total time
- 15 min
- Hands-on
- 15 min
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 8 oz spaghetti or linguine
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced paper-thin
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- to taste sea salt
Step by step
Boil the water
Fill a pot with enough water to cover the pasta comfortably. Salt it until it tastes like a mild sea; do not be shy with the salt.
Infuse the oil
Place the skillet over medium-low heat. Add the oil and garlic. Let the garlic sizzle gently until it turns a light, pale gold. If it turns dark brown, it will be bitter; pull it off the heat if it moves too fast.
Cook the pasta
Drop your pasta into the boiling water. Pull it out one minute before the box instructions suggest; you want it slightly underdone.
Combine
Transfer the pasta directly into the skillet with the oil. Pour in a quarter-cup of the starchy water. Crank the heat to medium-high and toss vigorously with tongs for sixty seconds until the sauce looks creamy and coats the noodles.
Questions people ask
Can I use butter instead?
Butter changes the profile significantly. If you want to use it, add a knob at the very end, off the heat, for extra richness.
How do I know when the garlic is ready?
Look for a pale gold color. It should smell fragrant, not toasted or burnt.
Tips
- Slice your garlic with a mandoline or a very sharp knife so the pieces cook evenly.
- If the pasta looks dry, add more pasta water a tablespoon at a time.
- Do not rinse the pasta. That layer of starch is the secret to the final texture.