Spaghetti Con Aglio:
The recipe below for Spaghetti con Aglio e Olio uses lots of garlic. If you don’t like peeling garlic, might want to consider the E-Z Roll Garlic Peeler, about $8. It rubs off garlic skins easily. Sorry, you still have to chop the garlic.
With this dish I’d serve a rustic red wine such as a Chianti, Barbera or Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. For white wine lovers, I’d choose a Sauvignon Blanc or a Prosecco.
7 large cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
3 anchovy fillets (optional)
½ teaspoon hot pepper flakes
2/3 cup well packed flat Italian parsley leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound Italian dried spaghetti
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1)Fill a pasta pot with 4 quarts hot tap water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
2)While the water heats, put a large 12-inch sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Peel and coarsely chop the garlic. Put all but 1 tablespoon of the oil to the pan. Add the garlic. Cook about 5 to 10 minutes or until the garlic turns light golden brown. Be careful not to burn. Lower the heat if necessary. Add the hot pepper flakes, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and turn off the heat.
3)When the pasta water has come to a boil, add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta. Stir well, cover and return to a boil. Remove the cover, stir well, and cook until the pasta is done to your taste. (It should be tender but still firm.) Stir a few more times during cooking to prevent sticking.
4)When the pasta is done, remove 1 cup cooking liquid and set aside. Drain the pasta and add to the pan with the garlic. Turn the heat to medium and add the reserved cooking water. Cook for 2 minutes, tossing the pasta until evenly coated with the sauce. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, toss and serve with grated Parmesan cheese at the table, if desired.
Serves 6
Per serving: 449 calories, 10 grams protein, 59 grams carbohydrate, 19 grams fat, 2.6 grams saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 266 mg sodium.