From the Kitchen : Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Hello everyone. Here is another killer pasta recipe for you to try. And in case you are wondering as to why there is this recent influx of Italian recipes is because I initially planned to visit Italy this year. But due to the current health crisis and travel restrictions, all such hopes have been dashed! So rather than getting myself heading there, why not let Italy come to me? 

So on that note, here is my take on the first ever pasta recipe I have learned, garlic oil spaghetti. Well, it does sound better in its native form right? So here we go!

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

1 pack of spaghetti

garlic, chopped 

dried chillies, chopped

parsley, chopped

ground black pepper

grated parmesan

Steps:

Really loving this new pan!

1. Fry your garlic under a low fire in a generously oiled pan. This has to be olive oil of course. Boil your pasta at the same time in a well salted pot of water. 

Pro tip: Do not brown your garlic in any event as all. This is a non-negotiable as the charred flavour of the burnt garlic will clash with the other ingredients in this dish. 

2. Once your pasta is properly cooked (ie: slightly al dente), add it into the garlic oil coated pan. Incorporate some pasta water into it while frying. 

I recommend that you include the cheese and pepper in increments, like you do with seasoning. 
Use the cheese instead of salt as it is already quite salty on its own. 

3. Add in the rest of the ingredients as you cook along. Mix them up until all the ingredients are well incorporated. In the event that the pasta looks too dry before everything is well mixed together, then add more pasta water. 

Simple yet magical. 

4. Top your pasta off with some extra parsley and grated parmesan. 

As you can see, I did not put any measurements in this recipe. This is because as the type of ingredients and the process is so basic, the flavour notes can change based on the amount of ingredients used. But if you need base to measure, I used 6 cloves of garlic, 4 dried chillies,4 stalks of chopped parsley and 1.5 cup of freshly grated parmesan. Also if you do not have dried chillies, chilli flakes works as well. 

You really cannot get any more basic that this. Only thing missing here is the cheese. 

And because of that as well, do NOT add anything extra. Sure you can add in some mushrooms or chicken into this dish. And it may taste good, but the addition of such ingredients, especially dried spices, will cross effect with the subtle flavour of the dish and will change the entire experience overall. And if you are having chicken in your aglio e olio, are you really eating aglio e olio?  I mean, it ain't broke. So why fix it?  

In any event, this is a classic pasta dish that surely impresses, despite its low ingredient count. If you are in a rush and you are unsure what to make for date night, or you just do not want to eat another packet of instant ramen, this ultra quick yet flavourful dish will sort you out easily. 

Bon apetit