Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Name: Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Ultimate Pasta
Ingredients: 400 g spaghetti; 6 garlic cloves; 80 ml olive oil; 1 tsp chili flakes; 1 handful parsley; to taste fine sea salt

25 minutes prep 35 minutes cook Serves 4

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is the quintessential Italian midnight snack, often prepared in the quiet solitude of evening kitchens. Born from the Naples tradition of frugal yet flavorful cooking, this dish is a celebration of simplicity. It’s the meal you turn to when the world outside has settled, and you crave something comforting and uncomplicated.

Each bite should deliver a gentle heat from the chili flakes, perfectly balanced by the aromatic garlic. The olive oil binds these flavors, coating the spaghetti in a silky embrace. Fresh parsley adds a hint of brightness, while a sprinkle of sea salt ties everything together. It’s a dish that speaks softly, yet leaves a lasting impression.

Ingredients

400 gspaghetti
6garlic cloves
80 mlolive oil
1 tspchili flakes
1 handfulparsley
to tastefine sea salt

Method

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, add a generous amount of fine sea salt to the water. This will season the spaghetti as it cooks, enhancing the overall flavor of the dish.
While the water is heating, peel and thinly slice 6 garlic cloves. In a wide pan, pour 80 ml of olive oil and add the sliced garlic. Set the pan over low heat, allowing the garlic to gently infuse the oil without browning. This step releases the garlic's aroma and flavor into the oil, creating the base for the sauce.
Add 1 teaspoon of chili flakes to the pan with the garlic and oil. Stir gently to combine, allowing the chili flakes to release their heat into the oil. Keep the heat low to prevent the garlic from burning, which would result in a bitter taste.
Once the water is boiling, add 400 g of spaghetti to the pot. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook the spaghetti until it is just shy of al dente, meaning it should still have a slight firmness when bitten. Reserve a cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
Increase the heat under the garlic and chili oil to medium. Add the drained spaghetti to the pan, tossing it with the oil, garlic, and chili flakes. If the pasta seems dry, gradually add some of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, to help the sauce coat the spaghetti evenly.
Chop a handful of fresh parsley and add it to the pan. Toss the spaghetti again to distribute the parsley throughout the dish. Taste and adjust the seasoning with fine sea salt if necessary.
Serve the Spaghetti Aglio e Olio hot, ensuring each portion has a good distribution of garlic, chili, and parsley. The pasta should be glossy and well-coated with the flavorful oil, with a slight heat from the chili flakes.