All pasta lovers assemble! This is the spaghetti recipe to end all spaghetti recipes. It’s fresh, it’s beautiful, it’s delicious. Just know that it is probably not a great idea to eat this before you’re going on a date or dancing, as there are quite some strong flavours involved. Namely garlic.
Seriously though, I sincerely believe that most dishes are greatly improved with the addition of garlic. And in this particular spaghetti case, I’d say the more the better. This recipe just adds one clove, but for the more advanced garlic eaters among us (or those hesitant of having a vampire standing next to your bed), don’t be afraid to add one or two more to your liking.
The same goes for the chili pepper. Leave the seeds in for a more spicy pasta, or leave them out altogether. It’s one of those dishes that you can adjust to your preference. I served it with the intense flavours of saltimbocca, a dish that deserves it’s own post, and will get it’s time to shine soon!
Oh, did I also mention that it is incredibly easy to make?
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Ingredients
- 300 grams of spaghetti
- 1 garlic clove
- Handful of fresh basil leaves
- 1 chili pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
Used kitchen appliances
- Large cooking pan
Preparation
- Bring about 2 liters of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and let it boil for about 7 minutes for al dente pasta (unless your package states otherwise).
- Deseed the chili pepper. Finely chop it together with the garlic. Roughly chop the basil leaves.
- Drain the pasta. Add the pepper, garlic, basil, and about 2 tbsp of olive oil to the spaghetti and mix so it’s all coated.
- Serve with pecorino or parmigiano cheese.
Basil and Oil 