Aglio e Olio

Sharing an iconic pantry pasta, that reminds me of European summers on the Amalfi Coast. This recipe instantly transports me there, reminding me of long lunches eating fresh pastas on colourful painted plates. 

This is one that you can whip up for yourself or for a dinner party any night of the week with ingredients you should already have at home. Incredibly simple yet deceptively delicious is probably how I’d describe this pasta. Aglio E Olio simply translates to ‘Garlic and Oil, a simple yet perfect balanced pasta that is cooked in garlic and oil which gives it a beautiful aroma and lusciousness, chilli for a hit of spice, parsley for a hit of freshness, lemon for a bit of zing and a bit of optional cheese for a hit of salt. If you haven’t tried this pasta, please do because you absolutely need this in your life and recipe arsenal. 

Serves- 2
Ingredients- 7
Cooking Time- 15 minutes
Skill level- Easy

Ingredients

• 200g of spaghetti, linguine or any long pasta
• ¼ cup of olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon of chilli oil or dried chilli flakes
• 1 handful of parsley (flat or curly), finely chopped
• 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon worth of finely grated pecorino or parmesan cheese

Watch the process

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Method

1. Boil a pot of generously salted (approx. 2 tablespoons) water and place 200g pasta in to cook until al dente for about 5-7 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, finely slice 4 cloves of garlic and finely chop 1 handful of parsley.
3. Heat a large pan with 1 tbsp olive oil and once shimmering, add in the garlic and1 tsp of chilli oil and cook for 3 minutes on medium low heat.
4. Once the spaghetti is al dente, transfer from the pot directly into the pan, pour in ½ cup of the starchy pasta water and toss till the water and oil emulsifies into a sauce.
5. Turn off the heat. Throw in the parsley, some grated zest and juice of one lemon and 1 tbsp of cheese and give it one final stir. Add some extra pasta water if the sauce looks dry.
6. Transfer to a platter and dress with some extra chilli oil and parsley on top before serving.