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- Spaghetti aglio e olio
Spaghetti aglio e olio
Ingredients
Step by step process
Cooking the spaghetti
- 1
Bring 3 litres of water to the boil in a large pot and season it with one tablespoon of salt, the water should be as salty as the sea.
- 2
Add the spaghetti and cook according to the packet instructions until al dente, so it retains a slight bite. Before draining, reserve a cup of the cooking water, you will need it for the sauce.
TIP:Al dente is neither soft nor hard, pasta has a slight resistance when bitten. Start testing 1-2 minutes before the time on the package and always taste it, because different brands cook for different lengths of time.
Preparing the garlic sauce
- 3
While the spaghetti is cooking, peel the garlic and slice it as thinly as possible. Halve the chilli peppers, remove the seeds if you prefer a milder heat, and cut into thin rings.
- 4
Pour the olive oil into a cold pan, add the garlic slices and chilli. Place the pan over a low heat and gently cook the garlic for 3-4 minutes until it turns golden. Be careful not to let it burn, bitter garlic would ruin the whole dish.
TIP:When sautéing garlic in oil, cook it over MEDIUM heat for 3-4 minutes until golden, this releases the aromatic oils. High heat leads to burning and loss of flavor. The same process applies to onions.
- 5
Roughly chop the parsley and have it ready to hand.
Combining and serving
- 6
Transfer the drained spaghetti directly into the pan with the garlic oil. Remove the pan from the heat and toss everything thoroughly so that every strand is coated in the fragrant oil.
- 7
Add 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water and stir vigorously, the starch in the water helps create a silky emulsion that coats the pasta in a thin, glossy layer.
TIP:Whisk the eggs, then gradually add the yogurt and oil while whisking thoroughly. If the ingredients don't combine smoothly, slow down the addition or gently warm the eggs.
- 8
Stir in the chopped parsley, season with pepper and adjust the salt if needed. Serve immediately on warm plates, aglio e olio does not like to wait.
More tips:
Cook the garlic really slowly and start it in cold oil, this draws out maximum flavour without any risk of burning. Once it turns brown it becomes bitter and there is no saving it.
The pasta cooking water is a key ingredient. The starch it contains acts as an emulsifier, giving the sauce a silky consistency rather than a greasy feel.
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