Culinary Alchemy: Garlic... It's The New Potato

I love garlic... much to the distress of my coworkers. I tend to make this dish with 10 -12 cloves of garlic. I realize, however, that not all persons view garlic the way I do... as a vegetable. So I would suggest using 6 cloves the first time, 5 if you want a really mellow garlic flavor.

I chose Spaghetti Rigati (ridged Spaghetti) this time, but I use Bucatini as well. I think that the ridges in the Spaghetti Rigati hold the sauce on the pasta better though.

This was actually my dinner on Friday (last night), but I was so intent on getting the Banana Brûlé post completed, then I put this one off until this evening... It's all good, cause I am typing this up in between tasty bites of the leftovers... This is a truly a garlic lovers dish, just like Skorthalia. Vampires need not apply

Olio d'Aglio e Asperago

1 Lb Spaghetti Rigati
4 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil
5 to 12 cloves garlic
3 TB Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup Pinot Grigio
3/4 cup Chicken Stock
2 cups Asparagus, Sliced into 1 – 2 inch pieces
Salt and Green Pepper to taste.
1 cup Aged Asiago, grated (For Garnish and serving)

Prepare Spaghetti according to Package Directions – You know the drill.... Large Stock Pot.... Such and such many quarts of water.... Cover and bring to a boil.... Salt the water..... Drop pasta..... yaddah yaddah....

Place a 12-inch high-sided sauté pan or skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil.

Smash the garlic cloves with the flat of your chef's knife.

When the olive oil begins to smoke slightly, add the smashed garlic and sauté until light golden brown all over. (Do not let the garlic get too dark or it will get bitter)

When the garlic is light brown,

add chopped parsley and red pepper flakes.

Continue sautéing for another 30 seconds to a minute.
Add Wine and reduce by half.

Add chicken stock and simmer for about 5 minutes to reduce the liquid a little more.

2 minutes before the Pasta will be done cooking, add the asparagus to the pasta water.

Allow the water to return to a boil and cook until the asparagus turns bright green, about 1 minute.
Drain the pasta and the asparagus together and add it to the sauté pan.

Return the sauté pan to medium heat and add the pasta/asparagus to the pan and toss to coat,; Alternatively you can add the pasta/asparagus to a warm bowl, and pour the garlic oil mixture,

and toss this way…

but the skillet works better, as the added heat assists the free starch on the pasta noodles to bond with the chicken stock and form a light sauce.
Season with a couple of pinches of kosher salt and several grinds of either Green or Black pepper
Serve immediately in a warm bowl sprinkled with a little aged Asiago or Parmegiano-Reggiano;