Aglio e olio — just garlic, olive oil, and pasta — simple and delicious. I love adding parsley and a pinch of crushed red pepper to make aglio, olio, e peperoncini.
Serve a salad or another vegetable to start, then a plate of this pasta and some fresh fruit for a balanced, satisfying meal — and an easy Italian dinner.
I often serve a small portion as a primi piatti — first course — either to stretch leftovers or to feed a crowd of my kids’ friends.
There’s no need to fret about exact measurements — just heat olive oil and add garlic — but I’ll give you some guidelines. After you’ve made it once or twice, you’ll be able to do it by heart, which makes it even easier to prepare.
16 ounces of spaghetti or capellini
5 to 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 to 4 garlic cloves
Optional:
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
A handful of fresh Italian parsley, about 1/3 cup
Parmesan cheese
Celtic or sea salt, to taste
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve about about a ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.
While the pasta cooks, finely mince the garlic and parsley.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook over low heat for a few minutes until the garlic is soft — sometimes I cook the garlic until browned, which creates a slightly caramelized flavor.
Add the drained pasta to the skillet, season with sea salt, and add some pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, to loosen the noodles and help the sauce stick to the pasta.
Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired; toss and serve.
