Is It Hot Enough for You Pasta from Molly MacRae

This simple dish relies on a chili-garlic oil that’s fun to make – and fun to customize. It can be as hot or tame as you like. We use red pepper flakes, but feel free to use more or less of them, or to substitute another pepper flake variety to turn up the temperature. Cooking the garlic cloves whole gives them a sweeter, mellower flavor. They’re also beautiful. The final touch is the sprinkle of toasted panko bread crumbs and, if you like, parmesan cheese. 

Is It Hot Enough for You Pasta

 

Ingredients

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

5 large cloves garlic, peeled

¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

½ cup panko bread crumbs

⅛ plus ½ teaspoon salt, divided, plus salt for cooking pasta

black pepper to taste

1 pound penne (or other pasta)

¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

Grated or shaved parmesan cheese (optional)

 

Directions

Cook whole garlic cloves in ¼ cup oil over medium-low heat, turning cloves occasionally until garlic begins to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes, paprika, and coriander. Cook another 30 to 45 seconds. 

Immediately transfer oil mixture to large serving bowl and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove garlic cloves, mince, and return to oil mixture. Let sit until flavors meld, while cooking pasta and browning bread crumbs, about 20 minutes.

Wipe skillet clean. In 1 tablespoon of oil, cook panko and ⅛ teaspoon salt over medium heat, stirring often, until lightly toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and set aside for serving.

Meanwhile, cook pasta and 1 tablespoon salt, according to package directions, until al dente. Reserving ½ cup cooking water, drain pasta and transfer to large serving bowl with the oil mixture. Add parsley, 2 tablespoons reserved cooking water, remaining ¼ cup oil, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Toss to combine. Add more reserved cooking water if you think the dish needs it. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle individual servings with bread crumbs and parmesan if using. 

 

 

Look for Molly’s new series—The Haunted Shell Shop Mysteries—coming in July 2024!

Book 1: Come Shell or High Water

 

In the meantime, enjoy visiting the Scottish Highlands and the hills and hollows of east Tennessee in Molly's other books - available in libraries and everywhere books are sold.

 

The Boston Globe says Molly MacRae writes “murder with a dose of drollery.” She’s the author of the award-winning, national bestselling Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries and the Highland Bookshop Mysteries. As Margaret Welch, she writes books for Annie’s Fiction. Her short stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and she’s a winner of the Sherwood Anderson Award for Short Fiction. Visit Molly on Facebook and Pinterest and connect with her on Twitter  or Instagram.