Since olive oil is the backbone of this dish, use the best you can lay your hands on and be sure to keep the heat under the oil medium-low, because you want to avoid browning the garlic at all costs. (Well, not at all costs. If you brown the garlic, you’ll have a different, more strongly flavored kind of dish, but one that is still worth eating.) Garnish with a good handful of chopped parsley. For thirty seconds’ work, this makes an almost unbelievable difference.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Meanwhile, combine the garlic, oil, and a pinch of salt in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Allow the garlic to simmer, shaking the pan occasionally, until it turns golden; do not allow it to turn dark brown.
Step 2
When the water boils, cook the pasta until it is tender but firm. When it is done, drain it, reserving a bit of the cooking water. Reheat the garlic and oil mixture briefly if necessary. Dress the pasta with the sauce and parsley, if using, adding a little more oil or some of the cooking water if it seems dry.
Variations
Step 3
If you have a moderately well-stocked pantry—for example, if you have some olives, capers, chickpeas, dried chiles, canned tomatoes, and so on—you can make any of these delicious variations in less than a half hour.
Step 4
Add a couple of dried chiles to the oil along with the garlic. Discard before tossing with the pasta. Alternatively, sprinkle the pasta with hot red pepper flakes or pass some at the table.
Step 5
Add 1 cup cooked, drained chickpeas to the garlic-oil mixture about a minute before tossing with the pasta.
Step 6
Add 1 to 2 tablespoons capers to the garlic-oil mixture about a minute before tossing with the pasta.
Step 7
Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup minced pitted black olives (preferably imported) to the garlic-oil mixture about a minute before tossing with the pasta.
Step 8
Add a mixture of about 1 cup fresh herbs to the pasta when tossing it with the garlic-oil mixture. You probably will need more olive oil or some of the pasta-cooking water.
