Pasta Aglio e Olio

An Italian Classic! Simple, quick, and delicious, this dish is perfect for that busy weeknight dinner or evening comfort food when you get home from a night out with friends.

 
 

Logistics:

  • Portion Size: 1 large or 2 small

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes

  • Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 Pound of Dry Spaghetti Noodles (or any long noodle of your choosing)

  • 5-8 Garlic Cloves (depends on size and your taste preference)

  • Olive Oil (enough to cover the bottom of your pan in a thin layer, around 1/4 cup)

  • Salt and Pepper to taste

  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

  • 1/2 cup Parmesan Reggiano (optional)

  • 1/4 cup roughly chopped Fresh Parsley (optional)

Method:

  1. This dish is traditionally made with a very concise number of ingredients: pasta, garlic, olive oil, and starchy pasta water, with salt and pepper to taste. And you can 100% make it this way! But, the addition of fresh parsley, Parmesan Reggiano, and a little red pepper flake really elevates this dish to another level.

  2. Put on a pot of water for your noodles. While waiting for this to come to a boil, prep your ingredients.

  3. Thinly slice your garlic and give your parsley a rough chop through. Finely grate your Parmesan Reggiano. DO NOT use that bottled parmesan with preservatives; it doesn’t taste good and will coagulate in your pan. Skip the cheese if you do not have good Parmesan.

  4. Ingredients are prepped! Once your water is at a rolling boil, season it generously with salt and add your pasta. Check your package instructions, as you’ll be taking this pasta out 2-3 minutes early.

  5. Pan on the stove, medium heat. Add your olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and a little fresh ground pepper. Bring this all up to a light sizzle. Your goal is for the garlic to start turning golden brown along the edges right when it’s time to transfer the pasta into the pan. Do not burn your garlic! Take it off the heat if it cooks too quickly.

  6. Check your pasta. It should have a chewy outer part and a crunchy inner, a few minutes from al dente. Take out 1 cup of your pasta cooking water. Strain your pasta and add it to your pan. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and turn your pan to a high heat.

  7. To emulsify your olive oil and water into a sauce, you need action! Stir constantly, and as the sauce emulsifies and thickens you should be able to leave a trail behind as you glide your utensil through the sauce. If the sauce thickens quicker than the pasta finishes, add some more pasta water.

  8. Just before the pasta is al dente, turn off the heat and add Parmesan and parsley to taste, reserving some for garnishing. Stir to combine; the cheese should thicken your sauce into an even creamier texture, and the residual heat from the pan will take your pasta that last 30 seconds of cooking to al dente, leaving you with a nice, chewy texture (but no crunch).

  9. Plate it up! Garnish with a little extra parsley and Parmesan, marvel at how creamy the sauce is (but with no cream!), and enjoy.