Description
Midnight pasta, a simple Italian dish from Ina Garten’s repertoire, offers comforting flavors with minimal ingredients. Garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and pasta combine for a quick, satisfying meal you can savor in less than 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) dried spaghetti, such as DeCecco
- 8 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ½ cup minced fresh parsley
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Boiling Preparation: Fill a large pot with water, add salt, and bring to a vigorous boil. Cook pasta according to package directions, carefully reserving starchy pasta water before draining.
- Flavor Foundation: In a 12-inch sauté pan, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic, stirring constantly until edges turn golden brown. Sprinkle red pepper flakes and let sizzle briefly.
- Sauce Development: Combine garlic-infused oil with reserved pasta water, bringing the mixture to a robust boil. Reduce heat, simmer, and allow liquid to condense by one-third, concentrating the flavors.
- Pasta Integration: Transfer drained pasta into the pan, thoroughly coating each strand with the aromatic garlic sauce. Remove from heat and gently incorporate freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.
- Final Touches: Let the pasta rest for 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to fully embrace the noodles. Adjust seasoning to taste. Plate immediately, garnishing with an additional sprinkle of Parmesan cheese for a luxurious finish.
Notes
- Pasta Water Magic: Reserve one cup of starchy pasta water, as it helps create a silky, emulsified sauce that perfectly clings to the noodles.
- Garlic Caution: Watch garlic closely while sautéing; golden brown edges are perfect, but burned garlic turns bitter and ruins the entire dish.
- Heat Control: Maintain medium heat when cooking garlic and creating the sauce to prevent burning and ensure balanced flavor development.
- Resting Ritual: Let the pasta sit for 5 minutes after mixing with sauce, allowing ingredients to meld and create a more harmonious, flavorful meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 70 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg