 Garlic Pasta
© 1996-2005 Max Lent
If you love garlic, you will love this recipe. This recipe is quick and easy
to make from ingredients that store well. This recipe is so simple that it is
easy to overlook the amount of care required to sauté the garlic correctly. If
the garlic is undercooked, it will taste raw and too sharp. If the garlic is
overcooked, it will taste burnt. The secret to sautéing the garlic to perfection
is a low flame. The lower the flame the longer the garlic takes to cook. The
longer the garlic takes to cook the easier it is to see when it has cooked just
enough. When the garlic is sautéed over a medium high flame, it goes from being
raw tasting to overcooked within a minute or less. If you aren't watching when
the change happens, you will have to start over with fresh garlic and oil. If
take your time and use a slow flame, the transition of the garlic from
undercooked to properly cooked will take several minutes.
We often make this recipe when we need to prepare dinner in a hurry. It takes
less time to prepare than many quick prepared foods and it is real food.
Ingredients for 2 servings. (This recipe scales upward and downward very
nicely.)
- 3 Cloves Garlic, minced. If you are using elephant garlic you will still
need at least 2 cloves. Elephant garlic is mildly flavored, so more is needed.
If you are using small strongly flavored cloves, you will still need about a
heaping tablespoon of minced garlic. I have experimented with using larger,
much larger, quantities of garlic. More garlic doesn't mean better. A little
more or less than recommended will work just fine.
- 8 Tablespoons. Olive Oil. A high quality olive oil is recommended. Do not
substitute other oils. If you haven't used your olive oil in a while, take a
whiff. If it smells tainted or off, so will your dinner.
- 1/2 Pound Pasta.
Preparation
- Fill your pasta pot with water and start it heating over high heat on your
stove. I add a tablespoon of salt and a teaspoon of olive oil to the water.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over very low heat.
- Peel the skin off of the garlic cloves. Trim the heads off the cloves.
Mince the garlic. Putting the garlic through a garlic press is not acceptable.
Since you are using so little garlic is not worth the trouble to use a food
processor. Instead, use a knife to mince the cloves into pieces about the size
of chocolate sprinkles. Try to keep the pieces about the same size. Smaller
pieces will cook faster and may burn before larger pieces are cooked.
- Put the garlic in the frying pan containing the olive oil. If you followed
the instructions about using low heat, the garlic will just bubble a little
after a minute or two. If the garlic begins to quickly sizzle, take the pan
off of the heat and let the oil cool before continuing. If the garlic turns
instantly from white to chocolate brown, your heat was too high and you now
have to start over with fresh garlic and oil.
- By now, your pasta water should be close to boiling. When it comes to a
boil, add your pasta and cook for the recommended time while the garlic is
sautéing.
- If the garlic is cooking too slowly, turn up the heat a little at a time
until it just begins to bubble in the oil. During the time your pasta is
cooking, you want to sauté the garlic just until it turns light brown--more of
a golden beige. This is the only part of this recipe that requires care and
constant vigilance. Don't let the garlic overcook. If the garlic appears to be
cooking too fast, take the pan off of the heat and let it cool a little while.
Turn down the heat and put the pan back over the heat and continue. If the
garlic is looks near done minutes before the pasta is ready, take the frying
pan off the heat and turn the heat off. The heat of the oil and the density of
the frying pan will continue cooking the garlic for a few minutes.
- Warm your dinner plates by running hot water over them in the sink for a
minute or two.
- Drain the pasta in a colander and return it to the pasta pan.
- Pour the garlic and olive oil over the pasta. Toss and serve.
Variations
Add a small pinch of ground hot red chilies to the pasta as you toss it with
the garlic.
Sauté a couple of tablespoons of minced parsley to the garlic during the last
minute or two of sautéing.
Special note for publishers and editors
If you liked this article, it is available for publication in your books and
periodicals. Assignments are welcome.
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