Roasted garlic linguine

Sometimes the simplest of dishes are the best ones. Especially in the working week. When a dish tastes amazing and is this simple to prepare, you’ve really hit the jackpot. This has got to be one of the most delicious basic pasta recipes to have in the locker. Just three ingredients as classic a combination as any.

I use garlic in so much of my cooking at home, but it rarely features as the star of the dish, the taste to be celebrated, the king of the castle.  But... when you roast a whole bulb of garlic, something wonderful happens.  That strong punch gradually mellows into a soft hum and what you’re left with is a rich, sweet, gooey paste. 

This dish is a tribute to one my favourite ingredients in the whole wide world.  The superfood.  The OG. The flavor flav.  Glorious garlic… I love you so much.

Serves: 2 adults

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 45 mins (most of which is doing nothing)

Ingredients

1 large bulb of garlic 

Juice of 1 large lemon 

1 small bunch of parsley (chopped) 

250g linguine or spaghetti (dried)

Method

Preheat your oven to 200°c. 

Grab your bulb of garlic, peel away any loose outer layers of the skin and slice the top off so that the top of all the cloves are exposed, trying not to waste too much.  Take a piece of foil big enough to wrap up the garlic, place the bulb in the center, exposed cloves facing up, drop a touch of olive oil over the top and wrap the bulb up firmly.  Place into the oven for 35-40 minutes. It should be soft when you (carefully!) give it a light squeeze.    

Carefully open the foil, turn the garlic onto its side and, using the flat side of a large knife, press down on the bulb so that the molten roasted garlic oozes out. It’ll need a pinch or two of salt to really bring out the flavour, so season to taste while you mash/stir it into a paste. Set aside in a small dish. 

Cook the pasta in a pan of salted boiling water per packet instructions (around 10 minutes), reserving a mug full of the pasta water before draining.  DON’T FORGET! 

Over a low heat, toss the pasta in a pan with the garlic, lemon juice and parsley.  Add the reserved pasta water a large splash at a time, tossing furiously to make sure it becomes saucy and evenly coated. 

Serve with parmigiano reggiano and some freshly ground black pepper. 

Tips

  • Make the garlic paste any chance you have ahead of time... the dinner prep is then unbelievably quick and easy.

  • For a quick and tasty garlic butter, roast the garlic as above, stir the paste into a softened tub of butter with some chopped parsley or thyme, wrap it up in some cling film and pop it in the fridge. Great for serving on a steak, adding flavour to the frying pan or simply slapping on some toasted bread.

  • Before cutting the lemon in half, give it a firm roll on the worktop to make it easier to juice.