Aromatic Garlic & Olive Oil Pasta: Simple Aglio e Olio
Super Easy Aglio e Olio: Made with Love
This is a simple Aglio e Olio recipe, made with all my love for my pregnant wife. It’s a humble yet heartfelt dish! You can find more detailed instructions on my blog: https://m.blog.naver.com/mopanda
Essential Ingredients
- 100g Pasta (e.g., Spaghetti, Linguine)
- 5 cloves Garlic
- 3 dried Red Chili Peppers (Peperoncino)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil (generous amount)
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (grated, to taste)
- 1 ladleful of Pasta Water (reserved from cooking)
Flavor Enhancers (Seasoning)
- 1/2 tsp Chicken Stock powder (optional, for umami)
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Salt (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp Chicken Stock powder (optional, for umami)
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Salt (to taste)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare your ingredients. Thinly slice or mince the garlic cloves. For the chili peppers, you can break them into pieces and remove the seeds if you prefer less heat.
Step 2
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Once boiling, generously salt the water. A good ratio is about 10g of salt per liter of water and 10g of pasta per 100ml of water, but adjust to your preference.
Step 3
In a wide pan, pour a generous amount of olive oil. Add the sliced garlic and cook over very low heat. The goal is to gently infuse the oil with garlic flavor without burning it. Cook until the garlic is a light golden brown and fragrant.
Step 4
Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, usually around 7-9 minutes.
Step 5
For a perfect al dente texture, I recommend cooking the pasta for about 1 minute less than the package suggests. Drain the pasta and immediately transfer it to the pan with the garlic-infused oil to finish cooking there.
Step 6
When the garlic has turned a lovely golden color, add the crushed red chili peppers to the pan and sauté briefly. This will release their spicy aroma and enhance the overall flavor.
Step 7
Add about one ladleful of the reserved pasta water to the pan. Add the pasta (which has cooked for 6 minutes) and the chicken stock powder (if using) to the pan.
Step 8
As the pasta continues to cook and absorb the flavors, stir in the grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Add a little more pasta water if needed to achieve your desired sauce consistency. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil for extra gloss and richness.
Step 9
Gently toss or stir the pasta in the pan, allowing the pasta water, oil, and cheese to emulsify and create a beautiful, creamy sauce. Your delicious and aromatic Aglio e Olio is now ready to be enjoyed!
