Pasta Aglio Arrostito e Olio

I'm done with my Summer Salads run, but if anybody has any great summer sides, please tell me all about them.  Any post anywhere will do.

Most of us are familiar with Pasta Aglio e Olio. It is a well-known, traditional Italian pasta dish served simply with an olive oil (olio) and garlic (aglio) sauce. I have found that it is even more delicious when made with roasted garlic. I have been calling it Roasted Garlic Aglio e Olio, but that's redundant, so I looked up what it would be in Italian, and it turns out that the word for roasted is arrostito. No matter how you say it, though, it's extremely delicious.

I can't think of Pasta Aglio e Olio without thinking of a story my family has told for decades about a time when my mother ordered it at a restaurant. The table was across the room from the kitchen door, but nevertheless, as soon as the waiter opened the door carrying my mother's Aglio e Olio, everybody got hit in the face with it. There was so much garlic on that plate, the whole restaurant could smell it. We still talk about it all these years later -- that was a lot of garlic.

My roasted-garlic version doesn't have quite that much garlic, plus it's mellowed by the roasting, which makes it sweet and mouth-watering. Since there are few ingredients, it is important that they are good -- use a fruity extra-virgin olive oil and be sure not to overcook the pasta. I like penne for this dish, but spaghetti is fine also.

This recipe makes two servings, so multiply it as necessary. Serve it with bread and a salad as the star of a light meal, or have it as a side dish.

Pasta Arrosto All'Aglio e Olio
4 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp good olive oil, plus extra
4oz penne pasta
2 Tbsp yellow or white onion, minced
1 Tbsp shaved parmesan
1 tsp fresh basil, chiffonade
coarse salt
fresh-ground pepper

About an hour before cooking, roast the garlic: Heat oven to 300F. Place garlic cloves, 2T olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper, in garlic roaster or wrap in aluminum foil. Place in center rack of oven and roast until soft and lightly golden brown, at least 30 minutes and up to an hour. Don't let the garlic burn. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Reserve the flavored oil. Paste the garlic by scraping it on a flat surface with coarse salt with the flat edge of a knife.

Cook pasta in salted water until just under al dente. Reserve some of the pasta water. Drain pasta but do not rinse and return to pot to keep warm.

In large skillet, heat flavored oil over low heat and add minced onion. Cook onion a few minutes until just translucent. Add garlic paste, a few grinds of black pepper, and 2 Tbsp of pasta water, and mix with fork or whisk to help garlic dissolve. Stir in penne and cook 1-2 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper, oil, or pasta water as necessary.

Serve pasta topped with parmesan shavings and fresh basil.

I hope you like my twist on traditonal Aglio e Olio. Happy eating!