A large frying pan or shallow pot to mix the pasta and sauce before serving.
Ingredients
8ozspaghetti
5-6Medium sized garlic cloves ( sliced about 1/8 thick)
4tbsp Olive oil
A pinch Red pepper flakes or freshly ground black peper. (optional)
Grated Parmesan cheese to taste.
1tbspunsalted butter
Instructions
Fill a quart pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and keep separating the strands to avoid clumping.
While the pasta is boiling, in a large cold skillet add 4 tablespoons of olive oil and the garlic slices. Start heating that over a medium-low heat until the garlic begins to sizzle. Set aside in the pan and mix in a pinch of red pepper flakes or ground black pepper. (The garlic slices will continue to cook as the oil cools down).
Just before the pasta is ready, add a couple of ladles of pasta water to the oil and garlic and simmer on a medium to high heat for a couple of minutes to start the emulsifying process.
Add the pasta to the oil and water and thoroughly mix with sauce until the liquid has reduced to a creamy consistency about 1 to 2 minutes. Add more pasta water along the way if the pan is about to dry up.You are looking for enough of the emulsion to moisten the whole quantity of pasta when it is served.
For added creaminess, blend in a tablespoon of butter then mix in the grated parmesan cheese. Serve immediately topped with a little extra cheese.