Dishes that rely on a quick sauté to bring out garlic's bright side, like this herb-laced riff on aglio e olio, require planning and vigilance—you need to have all your other ingredients at the ready to cool down that pan and not let the garlic get acrid and burnt. Also, feel free to use whatever tender herb you like for this pasta (a mix of tarragon, chives, and dill works well).
Step 1
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat ¼ cup oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Add garlic and cook, stirring often and pressing down on cloves so they make good contact with the bottom of the pot, until golden and soft, about 5 minutes. Add parsley and cook, stirring occasionally, until parsley releases some of its liquid and slightly darkens in color, about 5 minutes. Toss in olives and red pepper flakes and cook another minute to let the flavors meld.
Step 3
Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with sauce and add butter and ½ cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook, tossing and adding more pasta liquid as needed, until each strand of pasta is coated and pasta is al dente, about 4 minutes. Remove pasta from heat and toss in basil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Taste and season with salt as needed.
Step 4
Divide pasta among bowls and drizzle with more oil.
