Cook Smarts  >  Articles  >  Recipes  >  Weeknight Meals Using Pasta Water in Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

Step 1

Garlic – Mince

Step 2

Parsley – Mince

Step 3

Lemon – Slice in half

Step 4

Bring 4 quarts of water to boil

Step 5

Salt the water with kosher or sea salt until it reminds you of the ocean

Step 6

Cook pasta until it’s al dente

Step 7

Immediately after draining the pasta, heat a large frying or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add oil to warmed pan

Step 8

Add garlic and desired amount of red chili flakes to the warmed oil

Step 9

When you can start to smell the fragrance of the garlic, add pasta with about 1 cup of the water. Toss until the water coats all the noodles. Add more water if you want to thicken the sauce even more

Step 10

Add the juice of half a lemon. Taste and add more lemon juice and kosher salt as needed

Step 11

Plate, season with fresh pepper, and garnish with parsley and tomatoes

Step 12

Since this dish is so simple, I prefer to make it with fresh pasta. Just remember that fresh pasta cooks a lot faster than dried pasta

Step 13

What exactly is “al dente”? Translated from Italian, it means, “to the bite.” Translated into home cook speak, it means that when you bite into it, it has softened but still has a chew to it – not soggy and sad

Step 14

When you get the hang of this, you’ll be able to time it so that you can take the pasta out of the water – without draining in a colander – straight into the pan that already will have the garlic smelling oh-so-good

Step 15

The acid of the lemon juice creates contrast and brings out all the other flavors in your dish. It’s a common finish to pasta dishes in restaurants. Try it at home and you’ll never have to go out for pasta anymore!