OLIVE OIL AND PASTA RECIPES

Steps:

• Finely mince the garlic and capers. Add to a bowl along with the oregano, rosemary, thyme and cheese. Season with a small pinch of salt and pepper. Use the back of a spoon to smoosh the herbs into the garlic and capers.
• Make one or two mounds of the garlic-herb mixture on a rimmed plate. Drizzle the olive oil on top. Serve with cubes of bread.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut off the top 1/4 inch of the head of garlic to expose the top of the cloves, then place on a piece of foil, cut-side up. Sprinkle exposed cloves with salt, then drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Wrap the garlic in the foil and roast until soft and golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes.
• When you’re ready to make the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Finely chop the parsley leaves. Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
• While the pasta cooks, in a large Dutch oven or skillet, heat the remaining 1/2 cup oil over medium heat. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the oil and cook, breaking them up with your spoon, until very fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the red-pepper flakes and a few generous grinds of pepper. Remove the pan from the heat to infuse the oil while the pasta finishes cooking.
• When the pasta’s done, heat the garlic oil over medium, then add the cooked pasta, 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and the parsley, and simmer, tossing constantly and adding more pasta water as needed, until the pasta is glossed with sauce.
• Serve with more red-pepper flakes, black pepper and Parmesan.