Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Garlic & Red Pepper Flakes

This was yet another quick meal to remember when I wanna throw something together fast - this really came out delicious and paired with a simple salad it was just perfect. Yes, it doesn't have any meat, but it has loads of flavor! I used whole wheat spaghetti - it's just what I had in the pantry but you can use any type of pasta with this recipe. The garlic infuses the oil and creates super powers that coat each noodle so that they just do a little dance on your tongue. :-P

Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Garlic & Red Pepper Flakes      

Serves 4-6

Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Garlic & Red Pepper Flakes

ingredients

• 1 lb whole wheat spaghetti
• 1/4 cup EVOO
• 5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp butter

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Right before draining reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water and set aside.

2. Place a skillet over low heat and add the EVOO and garlic. Cook until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and the reserved pasta water to the garlic. Increase the heat and bring to a simmer.

3. Toss the sauce with the cooked pasta, stirring until the noodles are coated evenly. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, parsley and Parmesan cheese. Toss the noodles until they are coated.

Serve with a simple salad.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Michael Simon.