Garlic and Olive Oil Spaghetti
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Aglio e olio is the most delicious basic pasta dish. All the ingredients are likely in your pantry already, and it can be embellished easily with other on-hand ingredients (such as chopped sun-dried tomatoes or capers) or to satisfy a personal taste. A lot of cooks call this dish “Midnight Pasta,” as you can make it straight out of the cupboard to satisfy a late-night craving if you have no fresh ingredients on hand. Old-timers from big Italian families remember this as a meatless Friday night staple, often with anchovies added along with the garlic. Sometimes I add a big squeeze of lemon or orange juice and scatter some minced parsley over the top of the whole thing before serving.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound (455 g) long pasta strands, such as spaghetti, bucatini, or capellini
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic (from 2 garlic cloves)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for serving
DIRECTIONS
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously, add the pasta, and cook for 2 minutes shy of the package instructions; the noodles should be slightly soft with a firm chew to them. Scoop out 2 cups (475 ml) of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
- Meanwhile, combine the oil, garlic, salt, and red pepper in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the garlic begins to color but not brown, 30 to 60 seconds. Pour in the reserved pasta water and simmer for a couple of minutes, stirring to emulsify the oil and liquid.
- Add the noodles to the sauce and stir to coat, about 1 minute. Serve with grated cheese on top.
PANTRY
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