Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Cook the pasta and reserve the water. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water well (with about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt). Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until just before al dente (mine took about 9 minutes). Before you drain the pasta, reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta’s cooking water.

Gently cook the garlic. About 4 minutes after you add the pasta to the boiling water, warm the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir until it’s just beginning to turn golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Be sure to turn the heat down if necessary so that the garlic does not burn.

Season the garlicky oil (optional). When the garlic has just started to brown, add the red pepper flakes (if using) and toss for 30 seconds or so. If the pasta is not ready, move the oil off the heat until the pasta is done.

Incorporate the pasta water. If you removed the pan from the heat, return it to medium heat once you’ve drained the cooked pasta. Whisk the reserved pasta water into the oil and bring to a simmer until the liquid reduces by about 1/3.

Coat the pasta in the sauce. Add the cooked pasta and stir until it’s nicely coated in the sauce and cooked to your liking. Turn the heat off and add the parmesan and parsley (if using). Toss once more to combine

Rest and serve. Allow the pasta a couple of minutes to rest and absorb the sauce before serving. Optionally, enjoy with more parmesan and red pepper flakes on the side.