Why Slicing Garlic The 'Goodfellas' Way Is A Terrible Idea, Actually

Movies can be an excellent window into some of the most delicious food from around the world, but if "Goodfellas" is any indication you shouldn't always take cooking advice from them. The prison sauce scene in Martin Scorsese's classic mob movie is certainly one of the most food iconic scenes in cinematic history, and features a memorable technique for preparing garlic. According to the narration of Ray Liotta's Henry Hill, his boss Paulie sliced garlic extra thin with a razor blade, which would help the garlic liquify in the hot oil before being incorporated into a tomato sauce. It's a seemingly genius garlic hack, so we decided to ask Jake Peterson, chef and co-owner at Dēliz Italian Steakhouse, just how well it would actually work.

Peterson is emphatic in saying not only would Paulie's garlic trick not work, but it's a pretty terrible idea. He says adding the garlic early like that is the first mistake, explaining, "If you cook the garlic at too high a temperature, it'll burn. If you add it before other ingredients, it will get really bitter." And as for the whole stated reason for slicing the garlic so thin, that won't work either. Peterson states, "No, it will never actually liquify. If it were super thin, the oil may soak in, but the garlic would never liquify." Sounds like Paulie has been leading generations of "Goodfellas" fans astray.

You can slice your garlic extra thin when making a classic Sunday gravy like in "Goodfellas" but you don't need to use a razor. Peterson says, "I use a mandolin because it'll give the most even and consistent size. Use it longwise to increase the surface area. It'll take less time to slice, and allows for better extraction of flavor." But don't cook these slices too long, or in too high heat. It's actually better to start your sliced garlic in cold oil and let it heat up as the oil does. And no matter what heat you start it in, it should only be cooked until it is first getting pungent and lightly brown on the edges. Push it any farther and it will add that bitter flavor to your whole pot of sauce.

If you are dead set on getting a more pungent garlic flavor that will liquify more, don't slice it, pound it. Crushing garlic with the flat side of a knife, or using a mortar and pestle, extracts more flavor because it ruptures the cells more than slicing does. You can crush your garlic into a paste, with a little salt, and then add that to the pan. But in that case be ready to add your tomatoes very quickly afterwards, because it will burn quickly. And of course always remember that not everything you see in movies is real.