Pasta with Aglio e Olio
By Yankee Magazine|May 23 2002|
This earthy, simple, Italian garlic-and-oil sauce is delicious served over linguine or capellini, with a leafy green salad and warm, crusty bread to sop up the extra sauce.
Yield
4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
16 ounces dried linguine or capellini
1/2 cup olive oil
3 to 4 large garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1 hot chili pepper pod
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water according to the package directions. Drain and place on a large, hot serving platter. Heat the oil in a small skillet and add the garlic and pepper. Just as soon as the garlic takes on a little color, pour the sauce over the pasta, add the parsley, and toss quickly. Serve at once.
This is one of those great midnight snack recipes when cut in half or third.
The key to this recipe, I think, is “slowly” cooking the garlic on “low” heat. If you do this, the result will be a very mellow lovely taste. If you hurry things, you’ll end up with burnt garlic, which is absolutely dreadful. As a guide, I often simmer the garlic for 15-20 minutes.