With a good Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, even the conversation falls silent for a short time. The late-night Italian lifeline: garlic, olive oil, chili and pasta. Simple, fast, yet not boring. Then, of course, the debate about who gets the last light begins.
Thorough preparation
- Preparation: prepare all the ingredients, grate the cheeses, chop the necessary ingredients, and set aside a large mug for the pasta's starchy cooking water. With Italian pasta, it is important to have everything at hand due to the quick assembly.
- Cut the garlic into very thin slices, chop the parsley, prepare the chili.
- Start cooking the spaghetti in salted water. Meanwhile, heat the garlic and chili in the oil over low heat until light golden.
- Put the pasta into the oiled pan two minutes before it is al dente, and add a ladleful of cooking water.
- Emulsify the oil with the starch water by stirring and swirling vigorously until a light, glossy coating forms.
- Stir in the parsley, taste and serve immediately.
- Finishing and serving: serve the pasta immediately on a preheated plate. Before serving, check the consistency of the sauce; if it's too thick, loosen it with a little cooking water, if it's too thin, work it together with short, vigorous stirring.
Practical tips and common mistakes
- Start the garlic in colder oil and heat it slowly so that it is golden and fragrant, not burnt.
- Cook the pasta until al dente, because it softens even more in the sauce.
- Grate the cheese finely and add it in several portions so that it melts smoothly.
- Serve fresh: these sauces thicken quickly as they stand.