Pasta with garlic and olive oil, or pasta aglio e olio, is a classic and simple Italian dish. Traditionally this dish only has two ingredients in the sauce, garlic and olive oil. We prefer to parmigiano reggiano and parsley or anchovies and parsley. We usually throw in a pepperoncini for good measure.
The Garlic
Roughly chop the garlic into chunks. Do not chop it finely or it will burn. The base to pasta with garlic and olive oil is delicately scenting the oil. By gently boiling the garlic in the oil we're infusing notes of garlic into every single bite. The flavors will disperse evenly without being overpowering or bitter. The garlic should have a blonde color and be very shiny when it's done boiling in the oil. Be sure to raise and lower the pan from the heat as needed and completely remove the pan from heat shortly before the garlic is done in order to slow the cooking process. If you're nervous about burning the garlic, use a slotted spoon to remove it from the pan. You can choose to remove the garlic entirely or add it back in the sauce once the oil has cooled. If the garlic does burn you'll have to start over as the oil is unsalvagable. As a rule of thumb, never leave a stovetop unattended while starting any pasta sauces that invoice olive oil and garlic.
The Parsley
If you have a bunch of parsley and aren't a fan of the stems now is their time to shine! About 30s before you cut the heat from the garlic add the parsley stems and watch them sizzle away. Once you cut the heat you can remove the stems then add the parsley leaves. Parsley in this dish is really nonegotiable. It leans a freshness that cannot be beaten and the color is so pretty.
Pasta With Garlic And Olive Oil Recipe
Collect all of your ingredients mise en place. There are like 4 ingredients in this recipe, this is not the time to leave any chopping until the last minute because your garlic will burn and you'll have to start all over again! Everything should be ready to grab and make sure you have all of your cooking utensils out and ready, no digging into drawers cause this one is going to be quick.
Pasta With Garlic And Olive Oil is a typical Italian 'simple' dish made with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, parsley, and optional peperoncino and anchovies. We eat this regularly at home and like to think of it as an easier (and healthier) 'Mac and Cheese'. Pasta Aglio e Olio brings back that nostalgia of being a kid. It's the perfect dish to make if you're on a time crunch, low on groceries, or simply craving some comfort food.
Pasta Aglio e Olio is salty, oily (in a good way), and can be elevated with either peperoncini (spicy peppers) or anchovies. If you choose to add anchovies there's no need to add cheese. Remember in Italian cooking fish and cheese usually don't go together.
Using high-quality olive oil is extremely important because the oil is the backbone of this dish and the vehicle in which the flavors of garlic/anchovies/peperoncini are delivered. Don't be light-handed with the extra virgin olive oil and definitely don't be afraid to use the good stuff because that's where the flavors are!
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If you make pasta aglio e olio, please leave a comment and give this recipe a rating! We love to hear from you and do respond to comments. And if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag us on Instagram and Facebook and use #EXAUoliveoil so we can repost!
