Pasta with Garlic and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Don't feel like spending a lot of time cooking a meal? Pasta with garlic and oil or Aglio e Olio is a classic Italian dish that can be made in 10 minutes and never disappoints. Make sure to use your favorite extra virgin olive oil for it. 

Recipe serves 4

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound spaghetti
• Salt
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 4 lemon wedges
• 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (1/2 cup)

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and salt. (Italian chefs recommend generously salting the water to the salinity of sea water.) Cook pasta, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1/3 cup of the salted cooking water, then drain pasta. Do not rinse.
• Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over low heat, then add two-thirds of the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until garlic foams and turns sticky and golden. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, add remaining garlic, pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, and 2 tablespoons reserved cooking water.
• Transfer drained pasta to a warm serving bowl. Add the garlic sauce, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and remaining reserved cooking water to pasta.  Toss to combine, sprinkle remaining parsley over the top, and serve immediately. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over dish, grated cheese and extra red pepper flakes (some like it hot!).