Spaghettini With Garlic Red Pepper Extra Virgin Olive Oil Food

SPAGHETTI WITH GARLIC, OLIVE OIL AND RED PEPPER FLAKES

Steps:

• Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving 2 tablespoons of the pasta water. The reserved pasta water will help create the sauce. Do not rinse pasta with water -- you want to retain the pasta's natural starches so that the sauce will stick.
• Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until light brown and fragrant. It's important not to burn the garlic or else it will become bitter. Remove and discard the browned garlic. Add the red pepper flakes and saute for 1 minute. Carefully add the pasta and toss to coat in the flavored oil. Add the reserved pasta water and cook, stirring, to create a sauce, 1 minute.
• Remove the pan from the heat and top with the fresh herbs.

SPAGHETTINI SQUARED: PASTA WITH OLIVE OIL, GARLIC, AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. While the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, cut the zucchini with the fine French-fry cutter on a mandoline. If you do not have one, cut by hand into the longest, finest julienne you can manage. Season with salt and pepper. If your zucchini is very finely cut, it does not need to be cooked. Otherwise, place in a colander, suspend over the pasta pot, cover the pot, and steam the zucchini until still slightly crunchy, about 2 minutes. Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic and saute briefly until light brown. Turn on the exhaust fan and add the red pepper flakes. Quickly mix in the basil and parsley and remove from the heat. When the pasta is al dente, drain through a colander, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Pour the pasta into a warm serving bowl; add the zucchini, basil oil, the garlic mixture, and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Toss well, adding cooking water as needed to make a smooth sauce. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, as needed. Grate about 2 tablespoons Parmesan over the top and serve at once. Cook's Note: The reason to save the basil oil to toss with the pasta at the end is so the oil will have a fresh, uncooked taste.
• Basil Oil (and other herb flavored oils):
• For soft herbs, such as basil, parsley, cilantro or tarragon: Use 4 cups packed leaves to 2 cups pure olive oil. For woody herbs, such as rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano or lemon verbena: Use 1 cup packed leaves to 2 cups pure olive oil. In a blender, puree the herbs and oil until completely smooth. Put the mixture in a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over moderate heat. Simmer for 45 seconds, then pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Don't press on the mixture, but you can tap the strainer against your hand to get the oil to drip through faster. Immediately strain the oil again through a flat-bottomed paper filter. If the filter clogs, you may need to change the filter partway through. It's okay to pick the filter up and squeeze it gently to get the oil out faster, but be careful not to break the filter. (Sometimes a little dark liquid comes through the filter first. Don't worry; that's water. It will settle to the bottom because it is heavier than the oil.) Let the filtered oil settle for a few hours, then pour it off the dark liquid. Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place. Cook's Notes: The oil passes through the filter faster if it's filtered while still hot, so set up your filter before you start the recipe. You'll need a flat-bottomed paper filter, like those used for some drip coffee machines. Cone-shaped filters tend to get clogged. Yield: about 1 1/3 cups

SPAGHETTINI WITH OIL AND GARLIC (SPAGHETTINI AGLIO E OLIO)

Steps:

• Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat.
• Stir the spaghettini into the boiling water; return to a boil, stirring frequently.
• Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until tender but still very firm, about 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add in the garlic and cook, shaking the skillet and stirring, until pale golden, about 2 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and add 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper.
• Ladle about 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water into the sauce.
• Add the parsley, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and salt to taste.
• If the skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, fish the pasta out of the boiling water with a large wire skimmer and drop it directly into the sauce in the skillet.
• If not, drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and pour in the sauce.
• Bring the sauce and pasta to a simmer, tossing to coat with sauce.
• Cook until the pasta is coated with the sauce and done, about 1 minute.
• Remove the pot from the heat and toss in the grated cheese.
• Check the seasoning, adding salt and crushed pepper flakes if needed.
• Serve immediately in warm bowls.

SPAGHETTINI WITH GARLIC AND LEMON

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a 6-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain pasta in a colander.
• While pasta is boiling, cook garlic and red pepper flakes (to taste) in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in zest, then juice, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup reserved cooking water and bring to a simmer.
• Toss pasta in sauce with parsley. (Add more cooking water if pasta seems dry.)

GARLIC SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a skillet over low heat, cook garlic in oil until lightly browned. Remove from the heat; stir in parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Drain spaghetti; place in a large bowl. Add garlic mixture and Parmesan cheese; toss to coat.