Best Midnight Pasta With Garlic Anchovy Capers And Red Pepper Recipes

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MIDNIGHT PASTA WITH ROASTED GARLIC, OLIVE OIL AND CHILE



Midnight Pasta With Roasted Garlic, Olive Oil and Chile image

This recipe is a version of aglio e olio pasta, which is often known as midnight pasta because it can be made quickly with a few pantry staples: garlic, olive oil, red-pepper flakes and pasta. This recipe takes a bit more time because it calls for roasting the garlic first, but doing so adds a complex, mellow flavor to the entire dish. If you're a planner, you could even roast a couple of heads of garlic in advance. (Roasted garlic will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks and in the freezer for up to two months.) Add whatever vegetables or proteins look good to you.

Provided by Ali Slagle

Categories     dinner, pastas, main course

Time 1h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 large head of garlic
Kosher salt
1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup firmly packed parsley leaves
1 pound spaghetti or other long pasta
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for garnish
Black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Steps:

  • Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut off the top 1/4 inch of the head of garlic to expose the top of the cloves, then place on a piece of foil, cut-side up. Sprinkle exposed cloves with salt, then drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Wrap the garlic in the foil and roast until soft and golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes.
  • When you're ready to make the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Finely chop the parsley leaves. Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
  • While the pasta cooks, in a large Dutch oven or skillet, heat the remaining 1/2 cup oil over medium heat. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the oil and cook, breaking them up with your spoon, until very fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the red-pepper flakes and a few generous grinds of pepper. Remove the pan from the heat to infuse the oil while the pasta finishes cooking.
  • When the pasta's done, heat the garlic oil over medium, then add the cooked pasta, 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and the parsley, and simmer, tossing constantly and adding more pasta water as needed, until the pasta is glossed with sauce.
  • Serve with more red-pepper flakes, black pepper and Parmesan.

MIDNIGHT PASTA WITH ANCHOVIES, GARLIC AND TOMATO



Midnight Pasta With Anchovies, Garlic and Tomato image

Tomato paste gives this speedy midnight pasta, studded with anchovy and garlic, its color and umami. If you're not an anchovy fan, you can substitute a few tablespoons of chopped capers or olives. Be generous when adding the pasta water to the pan. The mixture should look soupy at first, but the sauce will thicken up as you toss.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories     pastas, main course

Time 25m

Yield 2 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

Salt, as needed
1/2 pound bucatini, spaghetti or linguine
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 to 8 oil-packed anchovy fillets, chopped (optional)
Large pinch of red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 small lemon, zested
Handful of coarsely chopped parsley or basil leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish
Grated Parmesan, for serving (optional)

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook, according to package directions, until about 2 minutes shy of al dente so the pasta can finish cooking in the sauce. It should still have a slight crunch in the center. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
  • While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, combine the oil, garlic, anchovies (if using), red-pepper flakes and pinch of salt over low heat. Cook until garlic is opaque and a few of the slices are pale gold at the edges (don't let the garlic turn brown), 2 to 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook until it darkens, about 1 minute longer.
  • Add the drained pasta, lemon zest and 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta water to skillet. Stir until the pasta is al dente and well coated with sauce. Add more pasta water, if needed, until the sauce is glossy and the pasta cooked to taste.
  • Cut the zested lemon half in half (so you'll have a quarter of a lemon) and squeeze some juice into pasta. Stir in herbs and taste, adding more lemon juice and salt, if needed. Cut remaining lemon into wedges and serve it alongside the pasta, which should be garnished with more herbs and red-pepper flakes, a drizzle of oil and a generous sprinkle of cheese, if you like.

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