Aglio e Olio Recipe
Aglio e Olio
Authentic Italian Garlic and Olive Oil Dressed Pasta
Submitted By: Taz
Ingredients:
1 lb Dried Pasta such as: Spaghetti, Linguine, Bucatini, Malfada, or Tagliatelle*
½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves Fresh Garlic - sliced thin
16 Cups (4 quarts / 1 Gallon) Water
1 ½ Tbs Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste
-OPTIONAL-
⅛ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano - shaved
Preparation:
- Bring the water to a boil in a large pot over high heat
- Once a boil has been achieved, add the salt and stir until fully dissolved
- Add the pasta and allow to cook until al dente (8-10) minutes
- As soon as the pasta is cooked, drain and set aside until needed
- While the pasta is cooking, place the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using) in a large sauté pan or skillet - Place over medium-low heat and allow the garlic to slowly roast, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden brown (reduce heat to low if the olive oil begins to bubble) this step should take apx 10-15 minutes
- Use a pasta spoon/fork to transfer the pasta to the pan / skillet - Gently stir and toss until pasta is thoroughly coated
- Add about ½ Cup of the pasta water and thoroughly combine until emulsified into a glossy, coating sauce
- Transfer to serving plate(s) and garnish with a grind or two of pepper (add a bit of chopped parsley if desired) and a bit of the shaved cheese on the side (grated cheese over the top is NOT traditional with this simple pasta but, if you must, you must) - Serve hot as part of any Italian meal
* You can obviously use fresh pasta for this (or any) pasta dish if you desire but I find that the extra
cooking time needed for dried pasta (along with its long shelf life making it easy to keep on hand)
makes meal preparation a little easier simply because the extra time without having to 'watch the pot'
gives a little 'wiggle room' to accomplish other tasks that may be required to bring the meal to the table
