SPAGHETTI AGLIO E OLIO
SPAGHETTI AGLIO E OLIO
As a girl who moved far away from home for college, and now is living in a new city far away from her parents, I find ways to bring me back to home without physically being there. This dish, spaghetti aglio e olio is something I grew up eating. After a long day of work, my parents would make this for our family at least once a week. It’s a simple dish, yet so delish and full of flavor. It comes together all while the pasta is boiling, so it makes for a quick dinner when in a time crunch.
Garlic frying in olive oil is a magical smell. The first time I made this dish, when I was feeling homesick, that smell transported me right back to home. As the years have gone on the more spaghetti aglio e olio made and consumed. I’ve added my own tweaks to this dish to make it as delish as I have always remembered it. The white wine adds tremendous flavor to this dish, and is one of the additions I have added that brings it to the next level. Though, if you do not have white wine on hand, you could omit that step, and replace with a splash of pasta water.
I hope this dish brings everything to you that it has to me.
Pro Tip – the more parsley, the better ;)
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Yields 4
Ingredients
6 garlic cloves
¼ cup fresh parsley with stems
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp diced Calabrian chilis or red pepper flakes (omit if you don’t like spicy)
¼ cup dry white wine (or vermouth)
¼ cup pecorino Romano cheese
1 lb spaghetti
Directions
I like to do all my chopping first. Peel and slice your garlic, do NOT mince the garlic, it will burn. Finely chop parsley.
To a large frying pan, add garlic, olive oil, parsley stems, and chilis. Over medium heat, let the flavors come together, do not burn the garlic, cook for 5-8 minutes until fragrant. While garlic infused oil is working its magic, start to boil your water.
Once the garlic is fragrant and starting to brown, raise heat to medium high, add white wine. Allow the wine to cook off about 3 minutes, remove parsley stems and discard. Remove from heat.
Heavily salt your boiling water, add in spaghetti. Cook spaghetti for 2 minutes less than packaging says, we will finish it in the sauce. Once spaghetti is aldente, remove from salted water, reserving a cup of pasta water. Add pasta to frying pan with olive oil. Turn heat back on to medium high and begin to finish the pasta in the sauce, adding pasta water as needed. Add chopped parsley and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Once pasta is cooked, add pecorino with a splash of pasta water and let it coat the spaghetti, giving it a creamy finish.
Plate up your spaghetti, top with even more parsley if you’re fancy and more pecorino and enjoy!