A Caramelized Garlic Pasta Recipe That Celebrates Singledom
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That holiday that shall not be named is approaching, but who cares? You are hot, young, and better than ever. Plus, you are about to feast on a garlicky, carb-y pasta dish that will send a trillion endorphins running throughout your happy, single-and-ready-to-mingle self.
To go along with your cooking journey, I've included a playlist of some of the best, most empowering blues hits in history. There will be no wallowing lyrics, only songs with a beat to help you get your groove on while you cook and dine.
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First things first, you will need to prep a whole head of garlic. Do this by smashing the garlic under the flat side of your knife. Carefully but forcefully use the heel of your hand to get the job done. This not only frees the garlic from its papery shells, but it can also help rid you of any tension you're feeling on this day.
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Cook the pasta and caramelize the garlic side by side on the stove top. As you're monitoring the magic happening in those pots and pans, make that wooden spoon a mic and passionately sing along. Hey, no one is looking . . .
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Pour all those luscious cloves and the accompanying aromatic oil over the pasta.
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Oh yes. There are vampire-repelling amounts of garlic in this pasta. Before diving in, there's one last step.
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Parmesan. And lots of it. Let it rain. And if you're like me, douse that thing with plenty of salt and freshly ground pepper.
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Ah, maybe this day isn't so bad after all. Be sure to raise a glass to toast yourself, because you are an awesome cook, beautiful person, and, yes, V-Day survivor.
Play this Spotify playlist while cooking. (If it doesn't load, refresh your browser):
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Caramelized Garlic Pasta
From Anna Monette Roberts, POPSUGAR Food
INGREDIENTS
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 full garlic head, cloves smashed once and papery skins removed
- 2 heaping cups pasta of your choice
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, shredded, plus more 'cause you love it
- Salt and pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Fill a medium-sized pot 3/4 full with water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
Heat a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add oil. Once oil heats through, add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown all around, about 8-9 minutes. Once the garlic is golden brown, turn off the heat.
Once water is boiling, salt liberally. Add pasta, and cook until al dente. When pasta is done, quickly remove from stove and strain in a colander.
In the largest plate (or bowl) that you own, plate pasta. Drizzle garlic and oil over the top. Garnish with parmesan cheese, and liberally salt and pepper.