1½tablespoonsminced garlicfinely minced (or about 4 cloves of garlic)
¾cupfreshly grated parmesan cheeseplus more for garnish if desired (you can substitute parmigiano reggiano, romano, or asiago cheese)
1tablespoonfreshly chopped parsley
½teaspoonkosher salt
½teaspoonfreshly cracked black pepper
1tablespoonextra virgin olive oiloptional drizzle
⅛ to ¼teaspoonred pepper flakesoptional for extra heat
Instructions
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, cooking to al dente. Drain and set aside.
Add the butter to a 10 to 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat.
Once the butter is melted, add the minced garlic. Stir constantly until the garlic is aromatic, about 1 minute. (Be careful not to burn the garlic as it will cause the garlic to taste bitter.)
Add the cooked pasta to the garlic and butter in the skillet. Use tongs to toss the pasta until completely coated.
Sprinkle the freshly grated cheese, chopped parsley, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper. Toss to combine completely. Remove the pan from the heat. Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle the red pepper flakes if desired. Before serving, sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
We recommend using freshly grated cheese when making this simple recipe. Pre-grated parmesan cheese doesn’t melt well and won’t incorporate as well into the pasta.
You can reserve a bit of your pasta water and incorporate it into your finished pasta if it becomes a bit dry. Add a few tablespoons at a time and saute over the heat until incorporated.
Be sure not to let the butter brown, or the butter will become too sweet, or even taste burnt.
Burning the garlic will give your pasta a bitter flavor, so make sure the heat isn’t too high, and keep stirring it together with the butter.