Cheap & Delicious San Francisco Vietnamese Garlic Noodles

Adapted from “The Wok: Recipes & Techniques” by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt. Delicious noodles don't have to break the bank thanks to Joshua Weissman.

Prep

15 minutes

Cook

20 minutes

Total

35 minutes

Serves

people

Ingredients

Total cost: $25.71

Cost of Ingredients Used: $6.71

Cost Per Serving: $1.12

2 qt (1.8L) water
¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter
20-25 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 lb (450g) spaghetti
1 Tbsp (15g) fish sauce
1 Tbsp (15g) soy sauce
1 Tbsp (15g) oyster sauce
1 oz (28g) Parmigiano Reggiano
4 stalks green onion, thinly sliced, divided, 2 stalks for cooking, 2 stalks for garnish.
Kosher salt to taste

In a 5 qt saute pan, bring 2 qt of water to a boil. Add spaghetti and boil for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente, and most of the water is absorbed. If the water evaporates earlier, just add water back about 1 cup at a time until the pasta is cooked through.The goal at the end of this cook is to have al dente pasta and a small amount of starch-rich water left behind in the pan to help create a nice sauce utilizing that highly starchy water.
Meanwhile, in sauce pan placed over medium heat add butter, and once melted add garlic, gently stirring often, just until the garlic becomes fragrant and translucent. Remove from heat. Add fish sauce, soy sauce, and oyster sauce and mix until combined.
Add the butter sauce to your pasta and toss constantly until emulsified and slightly thickened. Add Parmigiano Reggiano and continue tossing until emulsified and fully incorporated.
Add most of your green onion, reserving a handful for garnish, and toss to combine. Taste and add salt to taste only if needed. Plate and garnish with green onion.