2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound short twisted or tubular pasta, such as gemelli,
cavatappi, or rotini
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving
- Heat the oil and 4 smashed garlic cloves in a 10-inch
skillet over medium-high heat until the cloves are gently
sizzling. Reduce the heat to medium-low and sizzle until
the garlic is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Discard the
garlic cloves, leaving the oil in the skillet, and return the
skillet to high heat. Add the sliced garlic and pepper
flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic just
begins to turn pale golden brown, about 45 seconds. Add
the minced garlic and toss until fragrant, about 30
seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Set
aside. - Place the pasta in a large pot and cover with hot water.
Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high
heat stirring occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking.
Continue to cook until the pasta is fully softened but
retains a slight bite in the center (about 1 minute less than
the box recommends after the pasta reaches a boil). Drain
the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid, and
return to the pot, set over medium-low heat. - Pour the sauce over the pasta, add half of the reserved
pasta water, and stir until the sauce comes together and
coats the pasta, about 2 minutes, adding more pasta water
as necessary until the desired consistency is reached. Stir