Published March 1, 1999.
If you have garlic and olive oil on hand, you have the makings of a basic sauce for pasta; we wanted to develop a garlic and oil pasta recipe with perfect proportions that would create a sauce with balanced flavors quickly and easily. Our final pasta with garlic and oil recipe used 1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil (pure olive oil was deemed too bland) for 1 pound of spaghetti. Four medium cloves of garlic delivered flavor without overwhelming the pasta. We passed the garlic through a garlic press and diluted it in a little bit of water to guarantee even distribution and prevent burning.
The garlic is quickly and easily pureed with a garlic press. Alternatively, you can mince it with a chef’s knife, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and continue to mince to a paste, but be sure to reduce the amount of salt cooked with the oil and garlic. Diluting the garlic with a bit of water before sautéing ensures a mild, even garlic flavor and helps to prevent burning. Although not a pantry item, parsley adds a fresh herbal flavor and should be used if you have some on hand.
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