Fastest Pasta With Spinach Sauce

• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste (optional)
• About 15 calamata or other olives, pitted and roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound long pasta, like linguine
• 1 pound spinach, washed, tough stems removed, roughly chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and salt it.
2. Meanwhile, mince the garlic as finely as possible and combine it in the bottom of a warm bowl with the red pepper flakes, olives and olive oil.
3. Place the pasta in the pot, and cook until it is nearly done (test it for doneness by tasting).
4. Plunge the spinach into the water, and cook until it wilts, less than a minute.
5. Drain quickly, allowing some water to cling to the pasta, and toss pasta and spinach in the bowl with the garlic and olive mixture.
6. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

clove garlic, red pepper, other olives, extra virgin olive oil, long pasta, salt

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/7759 (may not work)