kosher salt

1 lb dried spaghetti

1/3 cup good olive oil

8 lg cloves garlic, cut into thin slivers

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

bring a large pot of water to a boil. add 2 tbs of salt and the pasta and cook according to package directions. set aside 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water before you drain the pasta.

meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a pot large enough to hold the pasta, such as a 12″ saute pan or a large, shallow pot. add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until it just begins to turn golden on the edges. DO NOT OVERCOOK IT! add the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds more. carefully add the reserved pasta cooking water to the garlic oil and bring to a boil. lower the heat, add 1 tsp of salt, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by about a third.

add the drained pasta to the garlic sauce and toss. off the heat, add the parsley and parmesan and toss well. allow the pasta to rest off the heat for 5 minutes for the sauce to be absorbed. taste for seasoning and serve warm with extra parmesan on the side.

4 servings