Free Recipe Friday: Pasta in Herbed Garlic Butter

This week, I'll share one of my favorite recipes. It's so easy to make, but so easy to screw up if you don't know what you're doing. It's also cheap and incredibly satisfying. It's vegetarian, but is the perfect recipe for infinite experimentation, so break out your inner MacGyver and have fun.

You'll also notice that my recipes are VERY detailed. I do this because most every recipe I've ever followed leaves out steps that are integral to the process, small things I've had to learn through experimentation. Consider it my special gift to you.

Happy Eating!

PASTA IN HERBED GARLIC BUTTER
- serves 2
- prep time: 3 minutes
-- cooking time: 8-12 minutes

Equipment

• medium saute/frying pan
• Saucepan large enough to boil pasta
• medium whisk or large dinner fork
• large burner/eye on the stove
• garlic press or microplane grater

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil (since you're cooking with it, you don't have to use Extra Virgin)
• 6 oz of dried pasta (I use Angel Hair because it cooks the most quickly)
  
• one clove of garlic (DO NOT substitute garlic powder, garlic salt or even minced garlic that comes in the jar pre-prepared; trust me on this one)
• 2 tsp salt for cooking pasta
• Herbs of Your Choice: 1 tsp dried or 1 Tbsp fresh, as a general guide
  
• salt & pepper, to taste

Basic Summary: Start the pasta, melt the butter, saute the garlic, drain the pasta, throw the pasta in the butter and garlic, laugh because it was so incredibly easy, eat and enjoy.

1. Fill your sauce pan with water and add 2 tsp salt. Cook pasta almost according to package directions, removing it from heat 2-3 minutes before the package says it's ready. Since your pasta will need time to cook, start it and complete the rest of the recipe while it's cooking. DO NOT put oil in the pasta pot. DO NOT rinse your pasta. I'll be happy to explain why once I get into your kitchen and show you.
2. While your pasta is cooking, heat your saute pan over medium heat on a large eye of the stove. Add 1 Tbsp butter and olive oil to pan.
3. Peel garlic. For garlic prep techniques, hire me and I'll show you how.
4. As the butter and olive oil heat in the pan, you'll see them change. There will be a point when the butter begins to separate into a yellowish liquid and whitish solids.
5. At this point, your pasta should be ready to drain. Simple pour it into a collander/strainer and leave it alone. Again, DO NOT rinse your pasta.
6. When you see the butter separating, grate your garlic into the pan as quickly as you can. Be sure to get every drop of garlic from the backside of the grater. You'll hear it sizzle a little and smell really strong.
7. Immediately begin stirring the garlic with a whisk or a dinner fork. Your main objective is to cook the garlic to a light golden color. It happens very quickly (1-2 mintues), so DO NOT leave the pan unattended for any reason. If it starts to brown at all, remove the pan from heat and turn temperature down. Return the pan, but watch to make sure it doesn't happen again.
8. Once the garlic starts turning golden, add the last 1 Tbsp of butter and let it melt for about one minute. If you are using dried herbs, add them now.
9. Reduce heat to low and add your pasta to the saute pan and fold into the garlic butter. The pasta will be a little sticky, but the garlic butter will quickly fix that. If you are using fresh herbs, add them now.
10. Turn off the heat and let the pasta sit covered for 3-5 minutes. Salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve and enjoy!