Name: Pasta with Roasted Garlic Sauce, Arugula, and Walnuts
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 50 garlic cloves , peeled (1 cup); 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil , plus extra for drizzling; 1 cup chicken broth; 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar; Salt and pepper; 1 pound spaghetti , linguine, or fettuccine; 8 ounces (8 cups) baby arugula; 1 cup walnuts , toasted and chopped; Grated Pecorino Romano cheese , for serving

Why This Recipe Works

We throw garlic into almost every pasta dish here at the test kitchen, but for a dish based on the potent stuff, we decided to roast the garlic to mellow sweetness. Instead of waiting the hour-plus it can take to roast garlic in the oven, we brown 50 whole cloves in oil and then poach them in savory chicken broth and sweet, tangy balsamic vinegar. The best part? The whole thing takes less than 15 minutes. After pureeing the mixture to a silky sauce, we toss it with the pasta. Arugula and toasted walnuts bulk up the dish, and we like to serve it with Pecorino Romano for an earthy, salty finish.

Before You Begin

It takes about four heads of garlic to yield 50 cloves, but you can use prepeeled.

Instructions

Combine garlic and oil in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is browned all over, 6 to 8 minutes. Add broth, vinegar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until garlic is fork-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour garlic mixture into food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute.

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add garlic sauce, arugula, and walnuts to pasta and toss to combine. Adjust consistency with reserved cooking water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, drizzling individual servings with extra oil and passing Pecorino separately.