Midnight Pasta (Printable Version)
A quick and fancy pasta dish with garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan. Great for spontaneous late-night meals or fast dinners.
# Ingredients:
→ Main Components
01 -
1/3 cup high-quality olive oil
02 -
1 pound spaghetti (choose a trusted brand like DeCecco)
03 -
8 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
→ Flavor Boosters & Toppings
04 -
1/2 teaspoon crushed chili flakes
05 -
Kosher salt
06 -
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, with extra to sprinkle
07 -
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
# Steps:
01 -
Fill a pot with water, toss in 2 teaspoons of salt, and bring it to a boil. Add the pasta and cook following the package instructions. Save 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water, then drain the rest.
02 -
Warm up olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Toss in the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Stir in the chili flakes and heat for another 30 seconds.
03 -
Pour the reserved pasta water into the garlic and oil combo. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes, reducing the liquid by about a third. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt.
04 -
Add the cooked spaghetti to the garlic-infused oil. Off the heat, mix in Parmesan and parsley until everything is well coated.
05 -
Let the pasta sit for about 5 minutes so it can soak up that sauce. Add any final salt or pepper if needed and serve warm with extra Parmesan on top.
# Notes:
01 -
For the best taste, use really good olive oil.
02 -
Feel free to adjust the chili flakes for your preferred spice level.
03 -
Reserved pasta water gives the sauce a silky texture.
04 -
Giving the pasta a few minutes to rest helps it absorb the flavors.