Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

By The Mediterranean Dish · 15 min

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well with about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Add the spaghetti and cook until just before al dente, about 9 minutes in the creator's test. Before draining, reserve 1½ cups of the pasta water.
2. About 4 minutes after adding the pasta to the water, warm the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and stir until just beginning to turn golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Lower the heat if needed so the garlic does not burn.
3. When the garlic has just started to brown, add the red pepper flakes if using and toss for about 30 seconds. If the pasta is not ready, take the pan off the heat until it is.
4. Drain the pasta. If the pan was removed from the heat, return it to medium heat. Whisk the reserved pasta water into the oil and simmer until the liquid reduces by about one third.
5. Add the cooked spaghetti to the pan and stir until well coated in the sauce and cooked to your liking. Turn off the heat and add the grated parmesan and chopped parsley if using, then toss once more.
6. Let the pasta rest for a couple of minutes so it absorbs the sauce, then serve.

Summarized from The Mediterranean Dish's video. Watch it for the details.