Aglio e Olio is the ultimate Italian comfort dish. It’s the one pasta dish that’s so simple yet so delicious that you can #tastethelove in every bite. I’ve found that when a dish requires a few simple ingredients, you must use the best ingredients you can find.

Today I’m using this Artisanal pasta I found at my local grocery. A good quality cheese is important; I’m using Pecorino Romano. This sheep’s milk cheese works well in this dish because it’s a little sharper and will cling perfectly to the pasta.

I’m also using California Extra Virgin olive oil.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yields: 4 servings
Equipment: 1 (6-quart) saucepot, a deep-sided frying pan (Rondeau), a Microplane, a chef’s knife, a colander-style spoon, a cutting board

Ingredients:
1 pound of artisanal pasta (substitute spaghetti)
1/2 cup of *E.V.O.O.
1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes (optional)
5 cloves of garlic, freshly grated
1 1/2 cups of starchy pasta cooking water
2 cups of Pecorino Romano, freshly grated
1 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground
1/4 cup of fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Kosher salt for pasta water

Instructions:
In a cold, large, deep-sided frying pan, add *E.V.O.O. Next, add red pepper flakes, totally optional. I like a little heat for this recipe. Add freshly grated garlic. Then slowly add heat to infuse the garlic flavor. Not too high- medium heat, just enough to heat the garlic through, about 3-5 minutes. When you see little bubbles appear in the oil, lower the heat to the lowest temperature and keep an eye on it while you cook the pasta.

In a large pot of salted boiling water, drop the pasta. Don’t forget to salt the pasta water (2 heaping tablespoons); it’s the only chance you get to season the pasta.

When the pasta reaches the al dente stage, about 10 minutes, I use a large slotted colander-style spoon to transfer it to the pan with the garlic-infused oil and toss to coat.

Because the garlic-infused oil is the sauce, the pasta will absorb it quickly, so I add 1 1/2 cups of the starchy pasta cooking liquid to the pan and toss again. This loosens the sauce and allows the cheese to distribute evenly throughout the pasta without clumping.

Turn off the heat, add the freshly grated cheese and fresh ground black pepper, then sprinkle in the chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley.

There you have it, my Aglio e Olio.

Notes:
1) *E.V.O.O. is an acronym for Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

2) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value matter to you, I recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and values can vary, depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/