Red Wine Pasta

It's a showstopper. A bottle of red wine gets cooked down to a glossy mahogany butter sauce that stains the spaghetti in addition to flavouring it. Use a very dry red wine that you enjoy drinking, such as a Sangiovese-based wine like Chianti, or Merlot, otherwise the dish will be too sweet. If this is sounding like “eating red wine” to you, don't worry, it tastes like wine in the way beef bourguignon does, and is acidic yet creamy like the beloved pasta al limone. This recipe is from Montréal's cozy-cool coffee-pizza-wine restaurant Elena.

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1½ Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1" pieces, divided
1 bottle red wine (750 mL)
kosher salt
1 lb spaghetti

Garnish:
Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Combine garlic and olive oil in a small bowl. Heat a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium heat; pour in garlic and oil. Add red pepper flakes and 1 Tbsp. butter; cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is very fragrant but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add wine, increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until reduced by two-thirds, 20-25 minutes; season with salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a pot of salted boiling water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 3 minutes shy of recommended cook time.

Drain pasta and add to sauce, along with remaining 7 Tbsp. butter. Set pot over medium heat and bring sauce to a simmer. Cook, tossing often, until pasta is well coated and sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Divide pasta among bowls; drizzle with olive oil and top with lots of Parmesan.

Makes 4 servings.