TOASTED GARLIC AND SWEET PEA PASTA

Toasted Garlic and Sweet Pea Pasta image

Nutty toasted garlic and sweet peas? Oh, my! I could eat the whole potful myself, then drift off into sweet dreams!

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

Salt
1 pound long-cut pasta, whatever you have in the cupboard
1/4 to 1/3 cup EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil; eyeball it)
5 large garlic cloves, very thinly sliced GoodFellas style (Just do your best. No one can top Paulie!)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (eyeball it)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (eyeball it)
Black pepper
3/4 cup white wine (eyeball it)
2 cups chicken stock
2 10-ounce boxes frozen peas
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, a couple of generous handfuls, chopped
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, plus some to pass at the table

Steps:

Place a large pot of water with a tight-fitting lid over high heat and bring it to a boil to cook the pasta. Once it comes up to a boil, add salt and the pasta. Cook according to package directions until al dente. Heads up: right before draining you will need to reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking liquid.
While the water is coming up to a boil, add the EVOO, 4 healthy times around the pan, and the sliced garlic to a large skillet. Place the skillet over medium heat, spread the sliced garlic out in an even layer in the heating oil, and keep an eye on the garlic-it can go from golden to burnt in a couple of seconds. Have a slotted spoon and some paper towels on a plate nearby. Once the garlic is toasty brown, remove it from the oil with the slotted spoon and drain it on the paper towels.
Turn the heat up under the EVOO to medium high, then add the red pepper flakes, onions, thyme, salt, and a little pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until the onions become tender and lightly browned. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes, then add the chicken stock and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Add the peas and a couple of ladles of the pasta cooking liquid. Bring the sauce back to a bubble. With the back of a spoon mash about half of the peas in the skillet. Add the parsley and toasted garlic slices, stir to combine, then give it a taste and add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Add the cooked drained pasta and toss to coat in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add another glug of chicken stock. Stir in the cheese, then transfer the pasta to serving plates. Pass extra cheese at the table.