About the Recipe
This is the simplest of pasta dishes and, if you like garlic, it makes it even better. Aglio e Olio is traditionally made with spaghetti – I have used linguini in this recipe. For the best results, use only the best olive oil and fresh garlic. Linguine is flat and as thick as spaghetti, but has thinner strands than fettuccini.
Ingredients
500 g fresh home-made linguini
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or crushed
1/2 cup (125 ml) olive oil
1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (I prefer using red pepper flakes)
salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 cup (250 ml) finely grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Step 1
Bring a large saucepan filled with salted water to the boil. Add the linguini and cook until al dente. Drain quickly and place in bowl (if some of the cooking liquid is retained, this will help to ensure that the dish remains moist.)
Step 2
While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a sauté pan. Add the the garlic and cook slowly until the garlic becomes a light golden brown colour, ensuring that the garlic does not burn. Remove from heat and add the chilli (or red pepper flakes), salt and black pepper.
Step 3
Add the parsley, the garlic flavoured oil, half of the Parmesan and stir until combined.
Step 4
Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the pasta before serving.