Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, e Pepperoncino (Spaghetti with Garlic, Oil and Red Pepper)
I like to reduce last minute work, so I prep the garlic oil in advance and stop the cooking with a splash of wine. You can use water, if you wish, or, if you are sautéing the garlic as the pasta is cooking, some of the pasta-cooking liquid. As the pasta is nearing completion, I reheat the garlic oil, quickly boiling off the wine, and proceed. Use more or less garlic, to your taste. The same is true with the red pepper. For myself, I would use at least double this amount but that would be way too much for other folks.
Servings Prep Time
4people 15minutes
Cook Time
20minutes
Servings Prep Time
4people 15minutes
Cook Time
20minutes
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Slice off the hard base of each garlic clove.
  3. Cut the cloves in half top to bottom.
  5. Cut each half-clove of garlic crosswise into very thin slivers.
  6. In a sauté pan large enough to hold all the cooked spaghetti comfortably heat 1/3 cup of olive oil over gentle heat.
  7. Add the slivered garlic and sauté slowly and gently until golden brown. This should take 10-15 minutes if the heat is low enough.
  9. Add the red pepper and black pepper and sauté for another minute.
  10. Add the wine to stop cooking and remove the pan from the heat.
  11. Bring 2 ½ quarts of water to a boil. Season with ¼ cup of salt.
  12. Boil the spaghetti about two minutes less than the package indicates is needed for al dente.
  14. As the pasta is nearing completion, reheat the garlic oil.
  15. Just before removing the pasta from the boiling water, add 1 cup of pasta-cooking liquid to the garlic oil and turn the heat to medium high.
  16. Reserve another cup of pasta-cooking liquid then drain the pasta.
  17. Add the drained pasta to the pan with the garlic oil.
  18. Cook over medium to medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente. Add some of the reserved pasta-cooking liquid from time to time as needed.
  19. When the pasta is al dente, remove the pan from the heat. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese and parsley on top.
  20. Mix well to create a sauce by melting the cheese and emulsifying the oil and water. Add more of the pasta-cooking water, if needed, to coat the pasta.
  21. Stir in the 3 tablespoons of fruity or peppery extra-virgin olive oil for finishing.
  22. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese.
Recipe Notes

Since olive oil loses much of its distinctive flavor from heating, adding some at the end, when the dish is off the heat, improves the flavor. Usually I keep several types of olive oil that I just use for finishing in this way. They tend to have different flavor profiles. Usually I have a peppery one and a buttery one on hand. These oils are used in small quantities so their higher price tag is worth the flavor they add.

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