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Preview: Spaghetti Aglio e Olioby Tony M in Rouxbe Videos Garlic, extra-virgin olive oil and red chili flakes make up this delectable pasta sauce.
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Step 1: Preparing and Cooking the Dish
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For this dish, it’s all about having the right timing, so you’ll need to set yourself up well.
Place a large, non-stick skillet onto the stove top and add half of the oil, followed by the garlic and chili flakes. At this point, don’t turn the heat on. Just let this sit while the pasta water comes to a boil. Once the water has come to a boil, add the salt and stir. With the water at a rumbling boil, add the pasta, stirring so it doesn’t stick together. While the pasta cooks, turn the heat to medium and let the garlic slowly cook.
Meanwhile, place the plates into the oven to warm up. Test the pasta (see Notes below). Once it is just al-dente, reserve one half cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and add it directly to the pan. Return the heat to medium and add the reserved cooking water, tossing to combine. Add a good pinch of salt and tear the basil leaves over top. Continue to toss and cook for a couple of minutes, until there is very little to no water left in the pan. Once done, turn off the heat, add the remaining olive oil, some fresh parmesan cheese and gently toss to combine. Remove the warmed plates from the oven and portion out the pasta. Serve immediately with a touch more grated parmesan cheese and enjoy.
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Notes
Take the pasta out of the water just before it is al dente. It's better to remove it earlier than later, as it will continue to cook in the skillet.
Angel hair, cappellini or spaghettini pasta is also nice for this dish.
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Comments
Many years ago I was fortunate to have lived near Florence Italy and when we ventured into town for a meal we sought out places where the locals would go and eat, a local trattoria was where I first had this dish. One of my memorable past times back then was dissecting the ingredients of a dish and going home to make it. The only difference to the Aglio e Olio recipe here is the addition of capers and Italian parsley instead of basil. We had this dish the other night and we have had this wonderful pasta dish many, many times, oh, happy memories!
When I ran Victoria Park Restaurant near Toronto, I misspelled this beautiful dish on the menu. Only then did a beautiful 98 year old Italian Grandma set me straight and also came into our kitchen to show me her own twist. She said it was the only thing Italian bachelors knew how to make for themselves after a night of too much "vino". She then asked for a little red vino. I assumed it would be tossed in to the pan upon completion. She simple drank it, and told me I was "not-a-bad".
ChefOnCall.ca
Tired after a long day of shopping and not wanting to eat out, I thought about the simple ingredients of this recipe. Served with a salad and some fresh greens beans it was a very quick to prepare and satisfying meal. Two of us had no problem polishing off all 200 grams of this tasty pasta:)
This is a wonderful example of simple and wonderful. I made this tonight and was able to use basil from my garden. Just enough heat from the garlic and chilli flakes. I paired this with a Semillon from La Frenz Winery in the Okanagan. Thanks so much for this recipe!
For an Italian it is fantastic to see that this site teaches how to properly cook pasta "al dente"! A suggestion for this dish: my mother does it without Parmesan (many Italians, indeed, don't use Parmesan and garlic together) and with parsley instead of basil. I know, it seems difficult to make a good pasta with so few ingredients... but she does! :)
Another version that I like very much is to strain the pasta half or one minute before and to complete the cooking in the pan, adding breadcrumbs.
The beauty of this dish is it's so versatile. Once you know how to combine the cooked pasta to the olive oil in a pan with enough pasta water to create that wonderful emulsion, what goes with it is really up to you. More often than not, it depends on what is in my fridge or pantry, and sometimes on what I crave. When I crave anchovies or fresh basil, well guess what, it's going in.
I make this quite often now, it really is delicious.
Just curious Jole do you use fresh breadcrumbs or dried, or does it matter? I think breadcrumbs would add nice texture to this, thanks!
Dried
I have probably made this dish hundreds of times, but I've never made it like this before. I've always put the al dente pasta into a pan with just the oil (garlic, and red pepper,) tossed a bit with the heat on, then served. It is a family favorite, and indeed, my Italian friends refer to this as their "mac and cheese" dish, and yes, they ALL know how to make it.
The addition of the reserved liquid to the pan of oil is really interesting, and I'm just wondering, why is that important to do? It seems like an unnecessary step that adds a level of complexity, and it also increases the chance of over-cooking your pasta. I'm all for the step if it improves the recipe, but I just don't understand the benefits of using that method.
Thanks,
Tom
One key to aglio e olio is to end up with a pasta that is not too oily. Adding some pasta water to the pan, about 2 T or more per serving, creates an emulsion with the olive oil. This emulsion carries the oil better, so you don't end up with an oily plate when finished eating. You can achieve this when straining the pasta and leaving some of the cooking water on the pasta before adding to the pan - so straining lightly, not diligently; but it is best controlled by straining well and adding reserved starchy water later. The starch and seasonig of the pasta water is quite tasty, so it serves two purposes. Most moms don't do this technique, mine doesn't, but my dad likes my aglio e olio better than her's - though he'll never tell her. Ma, if you're reading this, please forgive me!
I've made this a couple of times now, most recently last night for some guests. It is very simple but has such wonderful flavor. I use fresh pasta and fresh basil from my garden and it comes out so good! Thanks for this keeper!
-Italians put in the water some more salt than the recipe does; therefore it is not needed to add it on the pasta after it is is cooked.
-The same is for the oil.
-Absolutely do not sprinkle basil....! At least you may use some parsley instead; and last but not least.....
-Parmesan is forbidden for this dish!!!
Thanks for all your videos.
I love your website.
I agree with Stefania's comments about the origins of this dish, and from a purist approach it is often appreciated without cheese and the simplest herb...parsley. And simplicity, meaning making a dish taste great with the most minimal but quality ingredients is what truly defines Italian cooking. However, this simplicity is difficult to execute, and it would take at few dozen cracks at it to achieve success with just oil and parsley. The fact that this simple dish can elicit as many opinions as let's say a bouillabaisse says a lot about how important technique and ingredient knowledge are to the cook, let alone an Italian cook. I'm so glad Stefania that you mention the salt issue. Getting people to put ANY salt in their pasta water, from my experience, is at least a victory in the right direction. It's small steps for now. I encourage the home cook to personalize even the classics with whatever yum you want...but the focus should always be accurate technique.
By the way, the best version of this dish I've ever had actually cooks the garlic in the pasta water, not in the oil. The pasta is cooked in the salted garlic water, drained with the garlic slices. The oil is simply heated on the side with chili flakes and poured on top....grated cheese optional. A Sicilian taught me that one. I can't resist the cheese...and fresh basil.
it is very simple with such wonderful flavor,my husband is crazy about spaghetti aglio e oleo.......
thanks
Sorry. The perfection in this dish is the QUALITY of the few ingredients which go into it; anyone who does not put salt in their pasta water does not belong in a kitchen; in not over cooking the pasta, making it truly al dente; final moments of cooking in a pan, just as one would cook a pasta off in it's final stage in a sauce or gravy, along with some pasta water so as not to make the dish overly oily; the oil needs to be a beautiful olive oil beacause it is featured in this dish the garlic must be lovely and fresh from a solid head; parmagiano to taste likewise, althought neither of my parents used it, with the red pepper flakes, which I like to grind just prior to eating in a ceramic grinder, which both my parents used, parsley yes, basil no and I favor basil over parsley, but my parents have the lease on the genes, I'm only 1st generation and without a claim; and the cooking of the garlic must be gentle or this dish will be bitter, bitter and nothing but bitter and you might as well not make it.
It is a great "go to" dish if unexpected guests show up. Who doesn't have oil, garlic and pasta in their pantry? Just my opinion.