The classic easy combination of olive oil, garlic, and pasta, seasoned with salt and pepper plus red pepper flakes, and loosened up with a bit of pasta cooking water. Simple perfection in 15 minutes.
Place the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Allow the garlic to warm and give the oil a swirl or a stir every now and then until the oil heats up, and the garlic just begins to turn light golden. Adjust the heat as necessary if the garlic appears to be turning golden too slowly or coloring too quickly. When the garlic has just turned golden, remove it from the heat.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente, then remove ½ cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta.
Return the pasta to the pot, and then pour in the garlic oil. Make sure that the garlic doesn’t get left behind in the pan. Toss gently, adding as much of the reserved pasta cooking water as you wish to create a sauce, and the Parmesan if using. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more oil as desired/needed, and toss until the pasta is well coated with the oil and garlic. Garnish with the parsley, if desired, and serve.
Notes
The garlic can’t be overcooked or over browned, or undercooked. Take the time to sauté the garlic for a few minutes over just the right heat level to get that perfectly golden, fragrant, nutty garlic. Start the garlic and oil together at room temperature, and gently heat the two ingredients together. This will allow you to control the cooking process, and the garlic will color evenly and slowly. Browned garlic becomes bitter, and burnt garlic even more so. Use fresh garlic that you slice yourself, rather than the pre-minced stuff in a jar — it’s the predominant flavor of the dish, so the freshness really counts.Use good olive oil. The best olive oil that you have. This is a good use of extra-virgin olive oil, as it is one of the few key ingredients in the dish.