Making Proper Aglio e Olio
This sauce is a study in heat management. If you burn the garlic, the dish is ruined; if you don't use enough pasta water, you are left with oily, dry noodles.
Garlic control is your only challenge.
The oil should shimmer, not smoke. Keep your pasta water heavily salted, as it is the only source of seasoning for the sauce.
- Large stainless steel skillet
- Pasta tongs
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Chef's knife
What goes in.
- 1/2 cupextra virgin olive oil
- 6 clovesgarlic, sliced paper-thin
- 1 lbspaghetti or linguine
- 1 tspred pepper flakes
- 1/2 cupfresh parsley, chopped fine
The Starch-Water Bind
Adding half a cup of cloudy, starchy pasta water to your hot oil creates a suspension. Agitating the pasta vigorously in the skillet forces the oil and water to become a unified, velvety sauce.
The method.
Boil the water
Use a wide pot and less water than usual. This ensures the water is extra starchy.
Infuse the oil
Place the olive oil and garlic in a cold skillet. Turn the heat to medium-low and let the garlic slowly turn a pale gold. If it browns, start over.
Toast the spice
Add the red pepper flakes for the final 30 seconds of garlic cooking.
Combine
Transfer the pasta directly from the pot to the skillet using tongs. It should be slightly undercooked.
Emulsify
Pour in a half-cup of the starchy pasta water. Toss rapidly over medium-high heat until the liquid turns opaque and thickens enough to coat the strands.
Finish
Remove from heat, stir in the parsley, and serve immediately.
Other turns to take.
Lemon-Bright
Add a teaspoon of lemon zest during the final toss for acidity.
Anchovy-Deep
Melt two oil-packed anchovy fillets into the oil while the garlic is cooking for an extra layer of salt.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use high-quality olive oil; since it is the primary ingredient, the flavor difference is immense.
If the sauce looks broken or oily, add another splash of pasta water and keep tossing.
Slice your garlic with a mandoline for perfectly even cooking.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why does my garlic taste bitter?
The garlic stayed in the oil too long or the heat was too high. It should look light straw-colored, not dark brown.
Can I use dried parsley?
Fresh is necessary here. Dried parsley lacks the brightness required to cut through the richness of the oil.
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