No oil on top soulart - would probably just soak in and make the whole thing too oily. And oily pasta is yuk.

Not sure how long it lasts as we usually eat it within weeks. A good long while I imagine. My mum tells me if you fill the jar to the top and there is no air in it then it lasts longer.

And apparently you can freeze it forever.

When my neighbour gives a jar of his to me, it stays in the fridge for MONTHS and MONTHS cause it's too garlicky for me. And then husband gets sick of looking at it and throws it in to some bubble and squeak thing for himself. When I question his common sense, he tells me he smelled it first and it still smelled delicious.

But I wouldn't trust him - he eats anything.