If there were a pasta bible, the first line would read, "In the beginning, God created aglio e olio." Historically, that line wouldn't really be accurate, since the evidence doesn't support the idea that garlic (aglio) and oil (olio) were the original accompaniments to pasta. But structurally—and by that I mean the way most pasta sauces today are cooked—aglio and olio are almost always the first step. From arrabbiata to marinara, alle vongole to puttanesca, each sauce begins by gently cooking garlic in oil. Even pesto, which is never cooked, has at its base a purée of garlic suspended in oil.The beautiful thing about those two building blocks is that not only are they essential components of so many other sauces, but they also make one of the greatest pasta sauces all on their own. Aglio e olio, I think it's safe to claim, is the simplest pantry-staples-only pasta sauce in the entire Italian canon. You don't even need cheese—in fact, some would argue cheese isn't a welcome addition. If you have spaghetti, garlic, salt, and oil, you can make this pasta right now. It sounds too simple to be good, but it's among the best.
Ingredients
- kosher salt
- 1 pound dried spaghetti - 450g
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil - divided, 120ml
- 4 medium cloves garlic - thinly sliced
- red pepper flakes - to taste (optional)
- minced flat-leaf parsley - for serving (optional)
Instructions
Boil the pasta:
- In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the spaghetti until just shy of al dente (about 1 minute less than the package directs).
- Reserve the pasta cooking water.
Cook the garlic:
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, combine 6 tablespoons of oil and the sliced garlic.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, if using.
- Cook over medium heat until the garlic is very lightly golden, about 5 minutes. (Adjust heat as necessary to keep it gently sizzling.)
Finish and serve:
- Transfer the pasta to the skillet along with ½ cup of the pasta water.
- Increase the heat to high, and cook, stirring and tossing rapidly, until a creamy, emulsified sauce forms and coats the noodles.
- Remove from the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and stir well to combine.
- Mix in parsley, if using, and serve right away.