How To Make Pasta With Garlic And Olive Oil [Step By Step]
A powerful blend of taste, texture and aromas for a sample of authentic Italian cuisine
When you think of Italy, it’s hard not to picture a beautiful plate of pasta with garlic and olive oil (aglio & olio).
This dish is as simple as it sounds, but don’t let the humble ingredients fool you. The pleasing aroma of garlic as it gently fries in olive oil will have family and friends lingering in the kitchen – peering over your shoulder as you cook.
Good to know: pasta with garlic and olive oil is a cheap, quick and easy recipe.
Cailletier Tip:
Extra virgin olive oil is what you should use for this garlic pasta dish. No other oil can replace the aromatic taste of extra virgin olive oil.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 lb spaghetti (500gr)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (120ml)
- 4-5 garlic cloves
- salt
Optional:
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley (30gr)
Note: for the pasta, use spaghetti, the kind you can twirl around your fork and taste the garlic and extra virgin olive oil in every bite.
Directions
Step 1: boil a large pot of water. When the water boils, add salt and the spaghetti.
Step 2: cook the pasta until al dente – when the pasta is soft and has a little bite (follow the package instructions).
Step 3: as the pasta is cooking, make the sauce. Peel and finely slice the garlic (as thinly as you can).
Step 4: heat the extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan over low-medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until the garlic is soft and pale (careful not to burn it!).
Step 5: once the spaghetti is ready, set aside ½ cup (120ml) of the pasta water for the sauce and drain.
Step 6: add the pasta water and the spaghetti to the frying pan. Coat it with fresh extra virgin olive oil and cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Optional: add freshly chopped parsley to the pan and mix well.
And this is how to make a simple and authentic pasta with garlic and olive oil - as a quick meal or for an Italian themed dinner. Or (because it happens to the best of us) if you didn’t have time to go grocery shopping and only have a few ingredients to whip up a satisfying, tasty and nutritious meal.
Looking for more mouth-watering extra virgin olive oil recipes? Try the summery tomato bruschetta with labneh.
If you want to join a community of olive oil lovers, follow Cailletier on Facebook.
Photo credit(s): Shilpa Shah.