Name: Aglio e Olio
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 200g spaghetti; 5 cloves garlic (thinly sliced); 60ml extra virgin olive oil; 1 tsp chilli flakes; Handful flat-leaf parsley (roughly chopped); Salt

Recipes

Aglio e Olio

By littlelane

The simplest Italian pasta and possibly the most satisfying: spaghetti tossed in garlic-infused extra virgin olive oil with chilli and fresh parsley. Just five ingredients, but each one must be quality, especially your EVOO and bronze-cut pasta. The technique matters: low heat, patience with the garlic, and enough starchy pasta water to emulsify the oil into a silky, coating sauce.

LL

Written by

littlelane

Ingredients list:

10 cloves of garlic
2 red chillis
Handful of parsley (stem and leaves)
200-250ml EVOO
1/2 lemon
200g pasta (I used my Basic Pasta Dough recipe)
Pasta water

Directions:

Difficulty: Easy
Feeds: 2 people
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Prepare the Aromatics: Thinly slice garlic and finely dice the chillies, removing the seeds if you prefer less heat.
Prep the Parsley: Separate the parsley leaves from the stems. Roughly mince the leaves and set aside, keeping the stems for infusion.
Infuse the Oil: In a pot, add evoo along with the sliced garlic and parsley stems. Cook on low heat, allowing the flavours to develop. The garlic should soften but not brown—burnt garlic will ruin the dish.
Cook the Pasta: While the oil is infusing, cook your pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve some pasta water before draining.
Add the Chili: After 10 minutes, add the diced chili to the oil and let it infuse for another 5 minutes. Remove the parsley stems at this stage.
Form the Sauce: Pour in a generous amount of reserved pasta water and stir vigorously to emulsify, creating a silky sauce.
Combine with Pasta: Add the cooked pasta directly into the infused oil, ensuring it’s well-coated.
Finish with Fresh Ingredients: Stir in the chopped parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a drizzle of evoo.
Season & Incorporate: Mix thoroughly, adjusting seasoning to taste.
Plate & Garnish: Serve immediately, garnishing with more fresh parsley and a final drizzle of evoo.