I make this pasta all the time. To the point where people ask if I make anything else to share on my Instagram stories.
In my defense, it’s just so damn easy. It’s essentially the Garlic/Olive Oil pasta from the movie Chef, which I’ve posted already a while ago, but with the addition of tomato paste. That’s the ONLY difference.
Keep in mind that I almost never measure this anymore, but this is my best guess based off of the original recipe. I never measure the salt in this one because I like things salty and I believe that is something that should be adjusted to your liking. I’d start out with 1 tsp though, and adjust accordingly.
The addition of tomato paste makes it a little sweet, because when the tomatoes cook down with the garlic, it becomes a little jammy. It’s wonderful and I highly recommend you try it. That’s all I’m going to say so let’s dive right in.
Pantry Pasta
Ingredients
- 1/2 box Spaghetti
- 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 8 cloves Garlic thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 2 tsp Chili Flakes
- Kosher Salt to taste
- Small Bunch Parsley finely chopped
- Parmesan Cheese to taste
- 1 Lemon
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente. Mine was about 10 minutes. Reserve a cup of pasta water and then drain the pasta.
- In a large skillet, add the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the garlic and let it sizzle in the oil. Add tomato paste, chili flakes and salt. Stir gently to combine until the tomato paste melts down into the garlic. Shake the pan a bit back and forth (careful not to splash yourself) and cook the garlic like this for 2-3 minutes, but DO NOT LET IT BURN. Light brown is ok, but once garlic gets too brown or burnt, it gets bitter.
- Add the pasta right to the pan. Toss with tongs to coat the spaghetti in the silky, oil/garlic mixture.
- Turn off the heat and add the parsley, parmesan, and a bit of pasta water. Toss again with tongs to coat all the beautiful strands.
- Right before serving, give a squeeze of fresh lemon over the top. Taste for perfection, and season with more salt if needed. Then, curl up with it on the couch and enjoy. Cheers.
This pasta look absolutely scrumptious! I cannot wait to try this! Thank you sooo much for sharing!
It’s so great! Hope you enjoy it! 🙂