Pasta Aglio e Olio

Ingredients

• 200g good-quality spaghetti or spaghettoni
• 80ml (⅓ cup) excellent-quality extra virgin olive oil
• 6 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced on a mandoline or knife
• 1 tsp dried chili flakes (or to taste)
• 3 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fine sea salt (for the pasta water)
• ½ tsp flaky sea salt (for finishing)
• Freshly cracked black pepper

Smart Substitutions

• ↔Add 50g anchovy fillets with the garlic for a deeply savoury, umami-rich version (the anchovies dissolve into the oil and are virtually undetectable as a distinct flavour)
• ↔Use gluten-free spaghetti to make this coeliac-friendly — the emulsification technique works identically

How to Cook

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tbsp fine sea salt — the water should taste pleasantly salty, like a light broth. Add spaghetti and cook for 1 minute less than the package's al dente time. Before draining, ladle out 200ml of the cloudy starchy pasta water and reserve.

   10 min

   The pasta water is your secret emulsifying ingredient — it contains dissolved starch that allows the oil and water to form a creamy, coating sauce rather than a greasy pool at the bottom of the bowl.

2. 2

   While pasta cooks, place sliced garlic and olive oil in a cold skillet. Turn heat to medium-low. Allow the garlic to slowly infuse and turn pale golden, swirling the pan occasionally. This process should take the full pasta cooking time — gentle and slow is the entire technique.

   10 min

   Starting garlic in cold oil is the cardinal rule. Adding garlic to hot oil means the outside burns before the inside softens — you get harsh, acrid garlic instead of sweet, mellow, and fragrant.

3. 3

   Once garlic is pale golden, add chili flakes and stir for 30 seconds. Drain spaghetti 1 minute early and add directly to the skillet with the garlic oil. Add 80ml of the reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously over medium heat for 90 seconds — the starchy water will emulsify with the oil into a glossy, creamy coating.

   3 min

   Tossing vigorously while adding starchy water creates the emulsion — this is the same technique as making a pan sauce. More water = more emulsification. Start with less and add to adjust.

4. 4

   Remove pan from heat. Add the fresh parsley, a final drizzle of olive oil, and generously crack black pepper over the top. Toss once more. Taste and adjust salt. Plate immediately into warmed bowls — this dish is at its absolute best the moment it is made.

   1 min

   Adding a small drizzle of fresh, uncooked olive oil off-heat at the end is the finishing technique of many Italian pasta dishes — cooked oil loses its fresh, grassy aroma, which the raw oil adds back.