Fill your big pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Add a generous handful of salt. Gordon himself says pasta water should taste like the ocean, and he’s so right.

Drop in your spaghetti and cook it about one minute less than the box says. You want it just barely underdone because it finishes cooking in the pan with all that gorgeous garlicky oil.

While pasta cooks, slice your garlic super thin, paper thin if you can manage it. This is the whole soul of the dish, so don’t rush this part.

Pour your olive oil into a cold skillet, then turn the heat to medium-low. Adding garlic to already-hot oil is how you burn it, and burned garlic will ruin everything.

Once the oil warms, add the garlic slices and just let them slowly turn golden and fragrant. The smell at this point is honestly one of the best things in my kitchen.

When the garlic is just lightly golden, toss in the red chili flakes. Give everything a quick stir and let it sizzle for about 30 seconds together.

Scoop out about half a cup of your starchy pasta water before you drain anything. Add it straight into the garlic oil; it’ll sizzle and create the most incredible silky sauce base.

Add your drained spaghetti right into the skillet and toss it hard. You want every single strand coated in that golden, garlicky, glossy oil.

Turn off the heat and shower the pasta with chopped fresh parsley and cracked black pepper. If you have a little lemon zest on hand, add that to it; it brightens everything beautifully.

Twirl it into warm bowls right away. A little Parmesan on top is optional but honestly wonderful.