Angel hair pasta with garlic, herbs and Parmesan

Angel hair pasta is very delicate but still provides you with a great deal of surface area to cover.

This recipe for angel hair pasta with garlic, herbs and Parmesan is very simple. It may seem like a lot of olive oil but you need that to help stop the pasta from sticking together. Use Italian extra virgin olive oil since it will add a light peppery flavour. Using oils from Greece or Spain will add different flavours so give them a go too.

Angel hair pasta with garlic and herbs: serves 2

• 8 ounces angel hair pasta
• Fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, oregano
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 1/8 teaspoon chili pepper flakes (or more to taste)
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. While the water is heating in step 1, heat the olive oil in a small saucepan on medium heat.  Add the sliced garlic, chili pepper flakes, finely chopped herbs, and chopped parsley to the oil.  Cook for one minute or until the parsley has wilted and the garlic is emitting a strong fragrance.  Remove from heat.
3. The angel hair past will cook in about 2 minutes once it starts, so get everything ready. Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the pasta.  Cook at a rolling boil until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse briefly with cold water, just enough to stop the cooking, but not so much as to make the pasta cold. The pasta should still be quite warm.
4. Place pasta in a large bowl. Pour herbed garlic sauce over the pasta and gently toss to combine. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese  and freshly ground black pepper over the pasta and gently toss to combine.
5. Serve immediately as a side dish. Reheats well if you make ahead.