Description
This Spicy Tomato Garlic Confit Pasta features tender garlic cloves slow-cooked in olive oil with a hint of red pepper flakes, combined with a rich crushed tomato sauce and fresh basil. Perfectly al dente spaghetti is tossed in this flavorful sauce, creating a comforting and vibrant Italian-inspired dish that balances heat and garlic essence beautifully.
Ingredients
Scale
Confit ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 8 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
Sauce and pasta
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 12 oz spaghetti or your preferred pasta
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 250°F (120°C) to gently cook the garlic in olive oil and infuse it with the spicy red pepper flakes for the confit.
- Make the garlic confit: In a small oven-safe dish, combine the olive oil, peeled garlic cloves, and red pepper flakes. Place the dish in the preheated oven and cook for 1 hour until the garlic is tender, soft, and golden.
- Mash the garlic: Remove the garlic cloves from the confit oil once cooked and mash them lightly with a fork to create a smooth, flavorful garlic paste.
- Prepare the sauce: Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add the crushed tomatoes along with the mashed garlic and some of the garlic confit oil. Let it simmer gently for 10–15 minutes to develop flavor, seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water for later.
- Toss the pasta with the sauce: Combine the drained pasta with the spicy tomato garlic sauce in the saucepan. Add reserved pasta water gradually if the sauce needs loosening for better coating.
- Finish and serve: Stir in the chopped fresh basil and drizzle with additional garlic confit oil for extra flavor. Serve hot, optionally topped with grated Parmesan cheese for a tasty finishing touch.
Notes
- Adjust red pepper flakes according to your preferred level of spiciness.
- The garlic confit oil can be saved and used to add flavor to other dishes like salads or roasted vegetables.
- Using fresh basil at the end keeps the herb’s bright flavor intact.
- Parmesan cheese is optional but adds a nice umami boost to the dish.
- Reserve pasta water helps achieve the perfect sauce consistency and binds the sauce to the pasta better.
