Weekend or weekday, my pasta cravings never go away. A big bowl of fuss-free, simple pasta makes all the stresses of life go away.
Growing up, my dad used to make my sister and me big steaming bowls of pasta with olive oil and garlic: thin spaghetti, olive oil, tons of garlic, parsley, a few hot pepper flakes, and tons of parmigiano.
It’s fantastic! There’s no other way to describe it. The three keys to this dish include 1) al dente thin spaghetti, 2) tons of garlic, 3) and mouthwash for dessert.
This dish is highly recommended for any occasion minus a first date. They just might be blown away by that garlic breath…HA!
My STEP-BY-STEP VIDEO below will help guide you through the recipe. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for recipe videos every week!
Makes: 4 medium portions
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
The Ingredients
1-pound thin spaghetti (regular spaghetti is a bit thicker and angel hair is a bit thinner)
½ head garlic, about 6 large garlic cloves
¾ cup fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped
½ cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (or parmesan), plus more to garnish
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
Salt
The Steps
For pasta: Boil pasta until al dente, according to cooking instructions on package.
For garlic oil: While pasta is boiling, in a blender or food processor, add ½ head of garlic (about 6 large garlic cloves) and ½ cup olive oil. Blend until garlic is almost smooth (garlic looks like small flecks).
For assembly: Add garlic oil to a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add hot pepper flakes and a pinch of salt, and bring oil to a gentle simmer. Let simmer for 1 minute, and then turn burner off. Add pasta. Stir until combined.
Add chopped parsley and grated parmigiano. Stir well. Pasta should look slightly glossy. If the pasta doesn’t look glossy, add 1-2 more tablespoons of olive oil, stirring again.
Plate in shallow bowls with more grated parmigiano and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Garlic breath is a very good thing.
The Steps with Video
My STEP-BY-STEP VIDEO below will help guide you through the recipe. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for recipe videos every week!
