Spaghetti aglio e olio
Spaghetti tossed in olive oil gently infused with sliced garlic and chili, loosened with pasta water and finished with fresh parsley.
Method
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and salt it well.
- 2
Cook the spaghetti until about 1 minute short of al dente.
- 3
Meanwhile, put the oil, garlic and chili in a large cold frying pan and set it over low heat.
- 4
Cook gently, swirling the pan, until the garlic is pale gold at the edges and smells sweet. Do not let it brown.
- 5
Take the pan off the heat and add a ladle of the pasta water, standing back as it spits.
- 6
Lift the spaghetti into the pan with tongs and set it over medium heat.
- 7
Toss constantly, adding more pasta water a splash at a time, until the oil and water form a light, cloudy sauce that coats the pasta.
- 8
Toss in the parsley, taste for salt and serve straight away.
Notes
- Browned garlic tastes bitter. If it darkens too far, start the oil again; it costs only a few cloves.
- Cheese is not traditional here. For crunch, some cooks scatter over breadcrumbs toasted in a little olive oil.
Equipment
Large pot, Large frying pan, Tongs