Ingredients
500g potatoes (not new potatoes)
Coarse-grained salt
2 large cloves garlic, peeled
½ cup (125ml) olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon (2.5ml) hot red chilli flakes
500g dried spaghetti, preferably organic
¼ cup (60ml to 65ml) cold water
30 large sprigs italian parsley, coarsely chopped after removing the coarse stems


Method
Brush and wash the potatoes, then cut them into half-inch (about 1cm) slices, placing them in a bowl of cold water until needed. Bring a large quantity of cold water to the boil, add coarse salt to taste, then drain the potatoes, add them to the boiling water, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the water (DON'T discard the water) and transfer to a serving dish.

Finely chop the garlic on a board. Place the oil in a large frying pan (skillet) over medium heat. When the oil is warm, add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, then add the potatoes; season with salt , pepper, and hot chilli flakes; and sauté for 5 minutes, mixing every so often with a wooden spoon.

Meanwhile, bring the potato water back to a boil, add the pasta, and cook as per the instructions on the packet. As the pasta cooks, finish the potato sauce. Add the cold water to the pan with the potatoes, cover, and cook for 10 minutes more. When the pasta is ready, drain and place it in the pan with the potatoes. Raise the heat to high, mix well, and sauté for 1 minute more. Sprinkle the parsley over the top, mix well again, then transfer to a large, warmed platter and serve immediately.


Variations:
1. The sliced potatoes can be added to the pan raw instead of parboiled. In this case, a quarter of a cup of warmed chicken or beef broth (stock) should be added to the pan after 2 minutes to help cook the potatoes. The quarter cup of cold water is still added later, and the pasta is then cooked in fresh water rather than the potato water.
2. With either the original recipe or the above variation, once cooked, the potatoes can be passed through a food mill (moule)