Name: Aglio e Olio (Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil)
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 8 garlic cloves , sliced thin; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 pound spaghetti; 1/2 teaspoon table salt , plus salt for cooking pasta; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Why This Recipe Works

The ingredient list for spaghetti aglio e olio (spaghetti with garlic and olive oil) is a simple one. But versions we tried strayed from this dish’s humble roots. We wanted to create a creamy pasta according to the traditional method—without the addition of heavy cream or cheese, letting the pasta’s starches do the work of thickening the sauce for us. We started by lightly simmering equal parts garlic and olive oil in a small saucepan to soften the harshness of the garlic and to infuse the oil, waiting until the end to add pepper flakes to prevent burning. Reserving some of the cooking water before draining the pasta—which we removed just before it was fully cooked—allowed us to use the starchy water to create a silky sauce. We simply set the garlic oil, pasta water, and parcooked, drained pasta back overheat in the pasta cooking pot and stirred to create a full-bodied sauce while the pasta finished cooking through. As a final touch, we added 3 tablespoons of parsley for color and vibrancy that melded cohesively with the other flavors.

Before You Begin

Be sure to use the 3 quarts of water specified in the recipe for cooking the pasta. The starch that the pasta releases into the water is essential to achieving the proper consistency in the sauce.

Instructions

Heat oil and garlic in small saucepan over medium-low heat until pale golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in pepper flakes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring 3 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until strands are flexible but still very firm in center, about 5 minutes. Reserve 3 cups cooking water, then drain pasta.

Combine pasta, oil mixture, ½teaspoon salt, and 2 cups reserved cooking water in now-empty pot and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often with tongs and folding pasta over itself, until water is mostly absorbed but still pools slightly in bottom of pot, about 5 minutes.

Let pasta sit off heat for 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and additional reserved cooking water as needed (approximately ¼ cup) to adjust consistency (noodles should be slightly wet, not oily). Serve.