Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Instructions

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large covered pot, then uncover it and stir in the salt.

2. Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring now and then, until it bends easily but is still firm in the center, 7–8 minutes, or about 2 minutes short of the package time. It finishes cooking in the sauce.

   Start 7:00 timer

3. While the pasta cooks, put the oil and garlic in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic is pale gold and fragrant, 4–6 minutes. It keeps darkening off the heat, so stop at pale gold rather than brown.While the pasta cooks, put the oil and garlic in a 30 cm skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic is pale gold and fragrant, 4–6 minutes. It keeps darkening off the heat, so stop at pale gold rather than brown.

   Start 4:00 timer

4. Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the red pepper flakes. Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the spaghetti and add it to the skillet with ½ cup of the reserved water.Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the red pepper flakes. Scoop out 237 mL of the pasta water, then drain the spaghetti and add it to the skillet with 118 mL of the reserved water.

5. Set the skillet over medium-high heat and toss constantly with tongs until the water and oil come together into a light, glossy sauce that clings to the pasta, 2–3 minutes. Add more pasta water a splash at a time if it looks dry or oily.

   Start 2:00 timer

6. Take the pan off the heat and toss in the parsley. Taste, add a pinch of salt if needed and serve right away, because the sauce tightens as it cools.