PASTA WITH GARLIC AND OIL--AGLIO E OLIO

PASTA WITH GARLIC AND OIL--AGLIO E OLIO image

Yield 4 to 6 people

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 pound spaghetti
Table salt or sea salt
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced garlic (about 30 small, 20 medium, 10 large, or 5 extra large cloves) from 1 to 2 heads
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons lemon juice from 1 lemon
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated

Steps:

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle postion, set large heatproof serving bowl on rack and heat oven to 200 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil, covered, in a 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 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 to pasta; toss well to combine. Serve immediately, sprinkling individual bowls with porton of Parmesan, if desired.