Pasta Aglio e Olio
The Italian masterclass in doing more with less. Garlic, olive oil, chili, parsley if you have it. The pasta water is the sauce. Really, the starchy water emulsifies with the oil to make something glossy and clinging. Bad versions of this dish are dry; the fix is always more pasta water, not more oil.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 17 min
- Serves
- 2 servings
- Cost/serving
- $0.95
Ingredients
- ·200 g spaghetti pasta
- ·6 cloves, very thinly sliced garlic
- ·5 tbsp olive oil
- ·1 tsp chili flakes
- ·small handful, chopped parsley (optional)
- ·to taste salt
Method
- 1.Bring a big pot of well-salted water to a hard boil. Cook the spaghetti to one minute under package time.
- 2.While it cooks, warm the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-low. Add the garlic. Cook slowly for 3-4 minutes. You want it pale gold, never brown.
- 3.Add the chili flakes and pull the pan off the heat.
- 4.Scoop out a mug of pasta water. Drain the pasta.
- 5.Return the skillet to medium heat. Tip in the pasta and a generous splash of pasta water. Toss hard for a full 60 seconds until the sauce coats every strand glossily. Add more water if it looks dry. Off heat, stir in parsley. Serve.
If you don't have…
- fresh parsley: any fresh herb, or skip. It's optional
- chili flakes: a pinch of cayenne, or just lots of black pepper
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