Pasta Bordelaise (New Orleans)

Spaghetti Bordelaise is an American dish originating from New Orleans. Basically, the dish is Italian spaghetti aglio e olio with the addition of butter and the removal of browned garlic. The French Creoles also add white pepper instead of black pepper, giving the dish a nice French twist. In order to prepare it, garlic is sautéed over olive oil and butter, and as it begins to take on a golden colour, it's removed from the pan. White pepper and parsley are then added to the pan, and the sauce is tossed with cooked and drained spaghetti with a bit of the cooking water until everything is well coated. It's recommended to pair the dish with Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay. Spaghetti Bordelaise also make for a great side dish to oysters Mosca, which is also the most famous version of the dish served at Mosca's restaurant, just like this one.

Pasta:
2 lbs dried spaghetti (1 kg)
3 Tbsp. kosher salt

Sauce:
½ cup olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup green onions
2 Tbsp. white wine
¾ tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. dried thyme
1-2 red chili, very finely sliced
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. white pepper, freshly ground
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain in a colander.

Meanwhile, in a medium pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and green onions and cook, stirring, until fragrant and starting to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Add the wine, basil, oregano, thyme, chili pepper, salt, and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the butter and parsley and cook for 2 minutes.

Return the drained spaghetti to the pot. Add the sauce, to taste, and toss well to coat. Place in a large serving bowl and coat with the Parmesan.

Makes 8 servings.