Sicilian-Style Peperoncino (Carrettiera)

For one serving, prepare about as much garlic as you would normally use for five. The quantity increases, but the aroma becomes mild in a later step, so there is no need to worry.

Cut the garlic into 5mm dice. Changing the way you cut it from a standard peperoncino is the key.

Roughly chop the Italian parsley. Here it is not a garnish but goes into the dish and is used like a vegetable.

Put the olive oil, the chunky garlic, and the chili pepper into the pan before turning on the heat.

Salt the garlic and sauté it as though treating it as a vegetable in its own right.

Once it has sautéed lightly, add the pasta cooking water before it takes on any color.

Simmer the garlic for about 5 minutes as if boiling it, until it turns fluffy and tender. Cook the pasta at the same time.

Boiling makes the aroma mild and transfers only the umami into the cooking liquid. Even with a large amount of garlic, the aroma stays gentle.

After simmering for about 5 minutes, taste it. The garlic will have become surprisingly mellow.

Add the cooked pasta, then add the chopped Italian parsley and toss together.

Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the top to finish and plate it.

Top generously with Grana Padano and it is done. Add more olive oil if you like.