Recipes

Choosing a good wine is key for this dish- it should be inexpensive because you need a lot, but it should also be tasty because the flavor of the wine will soak into the noodles themselves as well as become part of the sauce.  Ask our Wine Department for recommendations!

Add water and red wine to a 6-quart stock pot and place over medium-high heat.  Season the liquid generously with kosher salt and cover the pot to boil.  In the meantime, peel garlic and slice it.  Place butter and olive oil in a sauté pan large enough to fit the pasta and place it over low heat to slowly melt the butter.  When water and wine are boiling, add spaghetti and stir often.  Add sliced garlic to the butter and olive oil and wait for it to come to a sizzle.  Add the optional peperoncino and stir, keeping the heat low to prevent scorching.  When the garlic is toasted pale and sizzling, add the additional ½ cup of red wine and a generous splash of the pasta cooking water to the pan and turn up the heat until the liquid simmers.  When spaghetti is al dente, drain and transfer it to the sauté pan.  Keep cooking the spaghetti in the juices, tossing and shaking the pan until the liquid is absorbed.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Toss with parsley at the last minute and serve immediately on warm plates.