When it comes to classic Italian pasta recipes, Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is a very popular dish. This is a quick and tasty first course that is easy to prepare and allows for a few variations. Typically you only need 4 simple ingredients, like spaghetti, garlic, olive oil and red pepper flakes. In addition, the classic pasta dish is on almost all menus in Italian restaurants. So if you want to prepare the pasta dish yourself, there are recipe ideas for every taste here.
The best of spaghetti with garlic and oil
If you have guests over but your time for cooking is short, this dish would be the right choice. You don't have to go to theTaste and the Mediterranean aromaswaive. Nutritious, easy to prepare and versatile, a first course of pasta can be very tasty even with very few ingredients. This recipe also has the great advantage that the sauce is ready in no time.
For perfect spaghetti with garlic and oil, simply fry the garlic in the oil for a few moments. This enhances its aroma and gives the noodles the necessary taste. However, be careful not to burn the garlic. Each chef decides how to cut this ingredient to brown it. You can chop it or slice it.
On the other hand, if you like the taste but don't want to chew, you can also put halved garlic cloves, brown them well and then remove them for a moment before adding the spaghetti to the pan. For spicy lovers, there are also chopped chili peppers or flakes, which make the sauce even tastier. Once the spaghetti is ready, it is poured directly into the pan and, together with a ladle of cooking water, mixed with the sauce, which, thanks to the starch present, helps to give the dish a light creaminess.
Tips for cooking the Italian dish
While Italians typically use chopped fresh red chili peppers (peperoncini) in this dish, finding these can be a little more difficult elsewhere in the world. Therefore, you can also use a generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes from your pantry. The key to a beautiful, glossy, non-greasy sauce is creating an emulsion with the garlic oil and the magical starchy pasta water.
All you need to do is add the pasta and 1/2 cup of hot, starchy pasta water directly to the skillet with garlic oil a minute before the pasta is finished cooking. Then, as you toss the pasta, all that heat and starch helps the garlic oil emulsify into a nice glossy sauce while the pasta soaks up additional flavors once cooked. It's a simple tweak that's guaranteed to take your Spaghetti Aglio e Olio up a delicious notch. So grab some garlic and olive oil and master this classic pasta dish.
Ingredients for simple Spaghetti Aglio e Olio recipe
- Pasta:Spaghetti or linguine, fettuccine, as well as any other pasta shape you prefer.
- Olive oil:Since olive oil is the main ingredient in this sauce, it's really recommended to use the highest quality virgin olive oil you can find. This main ingredient will definitely make a difference.
- Garlic:If you want lots of garlic in your pasta dishes, you can use 10 to 12 cloves of garlic. However, the dish is traditionally prepared with approximately 4-8 cloves.
- Crushed red pepper flakes:Traditional Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is made from fresh peperoncini (red hot chili peppers), which are common throughout Italy. However, since they are harder to find in other countries, as already mentioned, you candried hot pepperstake as flakes and fry them in olive oil to bring out their best flavor.
- Optional side dishes:The two most popular toppings for this classic Italian dish are finely chopped fresh parsley and/or freshly grated Parmesan. Feel free to add both, but they are completely optional.
preparation
- Cook the spaghetti in a generously salted pot of boiling water until just al dente, about a minute.
- Meanwhile, about 3 minutes after adding the pasta to the boiling water, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the sliced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes or until the garlic is lightly golden.
- Toss the pasta in the sauce. Once done, use tongs to immediately transfer the pasta to the skillet, along with 1/2 cup hot starchy pasta water.
- Turn the pasta continuously until it is evenly coated with the sauce. If the sauce looks a little too dry, add another 1/4 cup of the starchy pasta water.
- Give the pasta a quick taste, adding an additional pinch of salt and/or crushed red pepper flakes if needed.
- Serve immediately while the dish is hot, garnished with any toppings that go with it.
- A few important tips: Have all your ingredients ready. Things move pretty quickly once the pasta starts cooking. Therefore, you could have all your ingredients laid out, chopped and ready to go. It is important that the garlic does not burn. If it turns slightly golden before the pasta is ready, simply remove the pan from the heat until it's time to add it. Also, don't forget to salt the pasta water. So be sure to add a generous portion of sea salt to the water.
Mögliche Variationen von Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
There are all sorts of variations you can make with this recipe. For example, don't hesitate to combine Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with shrimp or anchovies. This is accordingly another popular option in Italy. Finely chop a few anchovies and sauté them in the garlic sauce to give the dish an extra salty and fishy flavor.
Basil is also excellent. In addition, this pasta dish also tastes delicious if you sprinkle chopped fresh basil instead of parsley if you have some on hand. Also add additional crushed red pepper flakes. If you want your pasta to have more vegetables, you can make your spaghetti aglio e olio with tomatoes.
If thinly sliced garlic isn't your thing, feel free to chop or press it. You can also simply crush and sauté the whole garlic cloves to infuse the olive oil, then remove and discard the cloves before adding the pasta to the sauce. Add more protein by adding other seafood, chicken, ham, ground beef or salami, for example. You can also add cooked vegetables you love like broccoli, mushrooms, peppers, onions, etc. to the dish.
