Aglio e Olio Express Pasta (Print)

Quick Italian spaghetti in garlic olive oil with a touch of chili and fresh parsley for vibrant flavor.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 7 ounces dried spaghetti

→ Infused Olive Oil

02 - 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
03 - 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
04 - 1 teaspoon red chili flakes

→ Garnish

05 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
06 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
07 - Sea salt, to taste
08 - 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add sliced garlic and sauté gently, stirring frequently, until fragrant and just golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Avoid burning the garlic.
03 - Stir in red chili flakes with the garlic oil and cook for 10 seconds.
04 - Add drained spaghetti to the skillet and toss to coat evenly with the garlic chili oil, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
05 - Season with sea salt and black pepper. Remove from heat, toss in chopped parsley, and portion onto serving plates.
06 - Top with Parmesan cheese if desired and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in the time it takes to boil water, no complicated timing required.
  • The garlic-infused oil becomes its own sauce, and honestly, it tastes more luxurious than anything out of a jar.
  • It's forgiving—you control the heat, the garlic color, the chili kick, making it exactly yours.
02 -
  • The single biggest mistake is burning the garlic by turning the heat too high or leaving it unattended—it goes from golden to black in seconds, and burned garlic tastes acrid and wrong.
  • Pasta water is your secret: that starchy liquid is what lets the oil emulsify and coat the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom.
03 -
  • Reserve your pasta water before you do anything else—by the time you remember, the water is gone and the starch with it.
  • If you're cooking for more than two people, make this in batches rather than doubling it; a crowded skillet steams the pasta instead of coating it in oil.
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