Jul 30, 20212 min read

Guide to a Simple, Yet Delicious Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

"Pasta Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino" (Pasta with garlic, EVO oil, and red chili) In Italy it is the famous “midnight spaghetti”!

“Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino” is an Italian dish you can pull together in fifteen minutes and with nothing in your fridge...

A typical dish from Campania, a region in the Southwest of Italy, whose capital is Naples, known for the ancient ruins of Pompeii and the spectacular Amalfi Coast.

The ingredients of this dish are all found in the region: Campania is the fourth Italian region for the production of oil with 10 different varieties of DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) extra virgin olive oils. The city of Avellino produces particular garlic with a high content of essential oils and an aromatic flavor and very spicy and elongated red chilies.

This iconic pasta is a classic example of easy cooking, making the most of simple ingredients. The hero here is the extra virgin olive oil. In Italy, it is a favorite midnight dish to be prepared for friends during a party. It's easy to see why: every ingredient can be found in your pantry at a moment's notice. Simple, satisfying, and quick!

Here’s your recipe!

Ingredients:

1. Pasta - Spaghetti - BUY ITALIAN PASTA HERE

2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil - BUY ITALIAN EVOO HERE

3. Garlic - cloves of garlic, sliced thinly (about 1 clove per person, without the germ)

4. Salt per your taste

5. 1/2 - 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Steps:

1. In a medium pot bring water to a boil. Once boiling, add salt to taste (it should taste almost as salty as the sea).

2. Add the pasta and cook it for 1 minute less than the suggested cooking time.

3. While the pasta is cooking, add half of the EVO oil and garlic to a large sauté pan. On medium heat, cook the garlic until it gets very fragrant and translucent (make sure not to burn it).

4. Add the crushed red chili flakes to the pan and let them cook for 1 minute, then add a generous spoonful of pasta water.

5. When the pasta is almost cooked (remember, strain it 1 minute before its cooking time!), strain the pasta and add it to the sauté pan right away.

6. Cook for another minute in the pan, then add the parsley and the rest of the EVO oil and give it a nice toss in the pan until everything is incorporated.

The water sauce will be whipped with the extra virgin olive to create a perfectly creamy, emulsion of oil, water, and starch.

Try it at midnight with friends and a good glass of cold white wine…definitely Italian!

🌶️ Fun Fact: the red chili in Campania is also a symbol of good luck! 🌶️

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