Pasta with Garlic, Olive Oil and Red Pepper Flakes

I needed one more meat-free dish for dinner tonight, and I was getting a little tired of tilpia. I had some pasta to use up, and I found this easy recipe from Giada on the Food Network site. This recipe would be a great base to add fresh peppers, shrimp or chicken too. I didn't have any peppers or shrimp on hand for me, but Josh grilled some chicken to add to his pasta.Spaghetti with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Red Pepper Flakes
serves ~6(?), I cut the following recipe in half for the two of us (and we ate it all....)

1 lb. spaghetti (I used whole wheat thin linguine)
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and cracked (I used all 3, smack with the side of a large knife to crack them)
1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes, more if desired (I used 1 Tbsp.)
1/4 c. chopped flat leaf parsley
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh Basil leaves
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh Mint leaves (I omitted)
I topped with parmesan cheese - the kind from the can :)

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain pasta in a colander, reserving 2 tablespoons of the pasta water. The reserved pasta water will help create the sauce. Do not rinse pasta with water -- you want to retain the pasta's natural starches so that the sauce will stick.
2. In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until light brown and fragrant. It's important not too burn the garlic or else it will become bitter. Remove and discard the browned garlic. Add the red pepper flakes and saute for 1 minute.
3. Carefully add the reserved pasta water and stir to combine. (Adding the water will make the oil splatter, so stand back a bit!) Place the spaghetti into the pan and mix well for 1 minute.
4. Remove pan from heat and toss with fresh herbs. Top with cheese (and grilled chicken), if using. Enjoy!REVIEW:
This was a light sauce for our pasta, and it was fast and easy to make. I would add chicken/shrimp/or peppers, since the pasta itself is a nice base, but doesn't make for a very complete meal.