Fettucine con Crema di Aglio e Peperoncino

Let me set the record straight. This dish is ONLY for serious garlic lovers. Why? This potent pasta packs a whopping SIX whole heads of garlic into it. No, that is not a misprint. Don't worry, however. The garlic is roasted so the sharp, spicy and pungent bite is mellowed and tamed. It becomes deliciously soft, nutty and sweet in a slow roasting process. This dish also features a double punch with the spicy addition of cayenne pepper. Feel free to add as much as you want - just be mindful if you're serving this to guests who may not enjoy searing heat as much as you. This dish can be made with regular, gluten-free or any low carb fettucine/linguine. If you want extra spice, top each serving with a sprinkling of crushed red pepper flakes (as shown above).

Fettucine con Crema di Aglio e Peperoncino

6 whole heads garlic

1¼ lb. fettucine

6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

¼ - ½ tsp. cayenne pepper (or more, to taste)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wrap each head of garlic separately in foil. Place the parcels on the center rack of the oven and bake 45 minutes. Remove the garlic heads from the oven and set aside to cool slightly so they can be handled.

Unwrap the garlic heads, separate the cloves, and squeeze the garlic cloves from their papery sheaths into a hot serving bowl. This process takes awhile, so make sure you have not started cooking your pasta at this point. Add the olive oil and season to taste with kosher salt. Sprinkle with the cayenne pepper and blend together well with a fork.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente.

Drain the pasta and transfer it to the serving bowl. Toss the pasta with the sauce and serve immediately.

Serves 6