Pasta Aglio e Oilio is a dish from Dad's childhood. It is a spicy Italian pasta dish made with olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes, like a lot of red pepper flakes.
Dad's Nana used to make this for him as a kid, which may explain why Dad loves spicy foods.
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Unfortunately this was one a recipe that was not included in the recipe book that was passed down to Dad.
The only people who would eat this dish in the house were Dad, his Nana, and his Grandpa so the recipe was not one Dad's mom got to know.
Due to this Dad has had to hunt down and try recipes he found online and tweak them until he got it to what he remembers.
There is not much to Pasta Aglio e Oilio or "alya oola" as his Nana pronounced it. It is basically just olive oil, garlic, and a ton of red pepper flakes.
Garlic, thinly sliced
It is best to use fresh garlic for Pasta Aglio e Oilio and to slice it really thin. Dad is talking Goodfellas razorblade thin.
This will help the garlic be able to crisp up to give you a wonderful texture to your pasta. No need to go for paper-thin, just get it as thin as you can.
Dad uses 6-8 large cloves of garlic for this recipe.
Use a quality olive oil
Since there are so few ingredients in this dish it is important to use the best quality ingredients you can get your hands on.
Use a really high-quality extra-virgin olive oil in your Pasta Aglio e Oilio.
Add garlic to cold oil
The first step in the recipe is to add ½ of a cup of extra-virgin olive oil & the sliced garlic to a large saute pan. Add these to the pan before you turn on the heat to medium.
This is a tip that Dad loves to give out. Starting the garlic in a "cold-pan" has a few benefits.
The first benefit is that it gives you more time for the garlic to "steep" in the oil and flavor it. Garlic can quickly go from wonderfully browned to burnt in the blink of an eye.
Starting the garlic in the cold pan gives you a lot more control to achieve the browned effect you want.
Add the red pepper
You need to watch your timing on this part. You want to add the red pepper the second that you see the garlic starting to brown. You don't want the garlic to burn.
Dad uses 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes. That will make the pasta VERY spicy. You can scale back if you want to a teaspoon.
You will notice the color of the oil change immediately.
Add the rest of the ingredients
Now is time to add in the cooked pasta, lemon juice, parsley and to season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything well to make sure that the pasta is coated nicely in the oil and spices. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Pasta Aglio e Oilio - Garlic & Red Pepper Pasta
Equipment
- Saute Pan
- Tongs
- Knife
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 8 Cloves of garlic
- 1 tablespoon Crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon Dried parsley
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Add the olive oil & garlic to a "cold" pan. This means to add them to the pan before you turn on the heat. Turn the heat on to medium.
- Watch the garlic closely and as soon as it begins to brown add in the red pepper flakes. Stir well so everything mixes.
- Add in ½ pound of cooked pasta, the lemon juice, and parsley.
- Turn the heat off and then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Top the pasta with parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
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