Basic Garlic and Oil Sauce for Perfect Pasta (Rachael Ray)

If you like pasta, you're going to LOVE this recipe from Everyday With Rachael Ray's magazine (Oct '09). She has a "secret ingredient" that adds an unexpected zest to the ordinary ingredients: anchovies. She notes in her recipe that " even if you think you don't like anchovies, you should try this recipe--it'll change your mind." Further, she points out that "once you heat anchovies, they stop tasting like fish and start tasting more like salted nuts." So: try it, you'll like it! If you must, don't say anything to the diners--and ask them if they like it, before you reveal the "secret ingredient."

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 6-8
• Yields: 1 pot of pasta

Ingredients

• 1  lb spaghetti

• The Perfect Sauce

• 4  tablespoons olive oil
• 6  anchovy fillets
• 6  garlic cloves, chopped
•  red pepper flakes, to taste
•  black pepper, to taste
• 1  cup  pasta water
• 1  bunch fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to rolling boil, then add spaghetti.
2. While that is working, heat anchovies with oil in a large skillet over MEDIUM heat. The anchovies will "melt" in the oil, use the tip of your spoon to break into small pieces.
3. Lower heat and add garlic pieces and pepper seasonings; let garlic cook in anchovy oil, stirring frequently . . . watch carefully to avoid garlic over-cooking!
4. When pasta is almost "al dente," dip out one cup of the water, and pour into the pan with the anchovy-garlic; stir in, then add parsley; set aside.
5. Drain water from pasta; dump into warmed bowl, pour sauce over pasta, toss for ONE MINUTE.
6. Serve immediately.
7. ALTERNATIVE ADD-INS:
8. Finely chopped broccoli instead of parsley.
9. Bacon crumbles -- mmm!
10. Use orecchiette pasta (bowl/shell shapes), then add 8 oz. sausage with the garlic, 2°C broccoli rabe; cook until sausage is no longer pink.
11. Use fusilli (curly pasta) instead of spaghetti. Then: How about 2 teaspoons thyme & oregano with the parsley; once the garlic is cooked, add 2 thinly sliced jarred roasted red peppers. Pretty!
12. Seafoody Linguine: Once the garlic is cooking: add 3 doz littleneck clams, cover skillet, steam until clams open (about 5 minutes) -- or if you live far from a fresh seafood market (like me!), use 3 or 4 cans of clam meat, skip the steaming part and go right to the table!