Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the pasta until al dente, stirring often to prevent sticking.

While the pasta cooks, pour olive oil into a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering.

Sprinkle the minced garlic and half of the chopped parsley into the hot oil, stirring for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the shrimp, salt, and hot pepper flakes to the pan, and cook for 5-6 minutes or 1-2 minutes if using pre-cooked shrimp until they turn pink and opaque.

Once the shrimp are done, add the cooked al dente pasta and 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water to the frying pan.

Toss everything together on high heat for about 1 minute until the water evaporates and the dish becomes creamy, then serve immediately topped with the remaining parsley.