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Pasta with Garlic and Oil—Aglio e Olio

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on June 1, 2011

Time

50 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Pasta with Garlic and Oil—Aglio e Olio

Ingredients

1 pound spaghetti table salt (see note above)6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup minced garlic (about 30 small, 20 medium, 10 large, or 5 extra large cloves) from 1 to 2 heads¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves 2 teaspoons lemon juice from 1 lemon½ cup Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated (optional)

Before You Begin

For a twist on pasta with garlic and oil, try sprinkling toasted bread crumbs over individual bowls, but prepare them before proceeding with the pasta recipe. We like Maldon sea salt flakes for this dish, but ordinary table salt is fine as well.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set large heatproof serving bowl on rack and heat oven to 200 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil, covered, in large Dutch oven or stockpot. Add pasta and 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt to boiling water, stir to separate pasta, cover, and cook until al dente; reserve 1/3 cup pasta cooking water and drain pasta.
  2. While water is heating, combine 3 tablespoons oil, 3 tablespoons garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon table salt or sea salt flakes in heavy-bottomed nonstick 10-inch skillet; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until garlic foams and is sticky and straw-colored, 10 to 12 minutes. Off heat, add remaining tablespoon raw garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons pasta cooking water to skillet and stir well to keep garlic from clumping.
  3. Transfer drained pasta to warm serving bowl; add remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and remaining reserved pasta cooking water and toss to coat. Add garlic mixture and 3/4 teaspoon table salt or 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes to pasta; toss well to combine. Serve immediately, sprinkling individual bowls with portion of Parmesan, if desired.
Pasta with Garlic and Oil—Aglio e Olio

Pasta with Garlic and Oil—Aglio e Olio

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

50 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 pound spaghetti
table salt (see note above)
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup minced garlic (about 30 small, 20 medium, 10 large, or 5 extra large cloves) from 1 to 2 heads
¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons lemon juice from 1 lemon
½ cup Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated (optional)

Ingredients

1 pound spaghetti
table salt (see note above)
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup minced garlic (about 30 small, 20 medium, 10 large, or 5 extra large cloves) from 1 to 2 heads
¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons lemon juice from 1 lemon
½ cup Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated (optional)

Ingredients

1 pound spaghetti
table salt (see note above)
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup minced garlic (about 30 small, 20 medium, 10 large, or 5 extra large cloves) from 1 to 2 heads
¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons lemon juice from 1 lemon
½ cup Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated (optional)

Why This Recipe Works

For the best spaghetti with garlic and oil recipe, we found that a combination of cooked and raw garlic made our dish shout with flavor. A strategic amount of extra-virgin olive oil along with cooking water coated the spaghetti well. A sprinkle of red pepper flakes and parsley was the finishing touch for our best spaghetti with garlic and oil recipe.

Before You Begin

For a twist on pasta with garlic and oil, try sprinkling toasted bread crumbs over individual bowls, but prepare them before proceeding with the pasta recipe. We like Maldon sea salt flakes for this dish, but ordinary table salt is fine as well.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set large heatproof serving bowl on rack and heat oven to 200 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil, covered, in large Dutch oven or stockpot. Add pasta and 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt to boiling water, stir to separate pasta, cover, and cook until al dente; reserve 1/3 cup pasta cooking water and drain pasta.
  2. While water is heating, combine 3 tablespoons oil, 3 tablespoons garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon table salt or sea salt flakes in heavy-bottomed nonstick 10-inch skillet; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until garlic foams and is sticky and straw-colored, 10 to 12 minutes. Off heat, add remaining tablespoon raw garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons pasta cooking water to skillet and stir well to keep garlic from clumping.
  3. Transfer drained pasta to warm serving bowl; add remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and remaining reserved pasta cooking water and toss to coat. Add garlic mixture and 3/4 teaspoon table salt or 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes to pasta; toss well to combine. Serve immediately, sprinkling individual bowls with portion of Parmesan, if desired.

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