Simple Garlic and Olive Oil Pasta

I guess we all have those couple of dishes from childhood that we remember and love. For me, the dish that really stands out in my heart and mind is my mom’s version of Aglio e Olio or Garlic and Olive Oil Pasta. As a kid, my favorite way to enjoy it was all soupy and loaded with chunks of fresh garlic and lots of freshly grated Parmigiano.

These I don’t often make garlic and olive oil pasta for myself (not sure why), but I do when my little grandkids comes over! My little Jaye always asks me to also throw some prawns in with the pasta. As you might suspect, when a grandbaby asks their  Sicilian grandma for a special dish, she must oblige – without question.

Tips for Making Aglio e Olio Pasta

The thing about this garlic pasta dish, is that while it’s one of the simplest recipes to throw together, it still has to be prepared the right way. Here are a few tips for the simple, one-pan pasta:

– Always reserve pasta water before draining – at least 1 cup, especially if  making a pound of pasta.
– Don’t overcook the pasta – just cook to al dente. Read the cooking instructions on the pasta package if needed.
– Have the prepared pan ready and heated when the pasta is cooked. In other words, heat the pan a few minutes before the pasta is done.
– Use fresh garlic and freshly grated Parmigiano or Romano. My favorite is Pecorino (I typically purchase mine at Trader Joe’s).

Print Recipe

Simple Garlic and Olive Oil Pasta

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Ingredients

• I pound pasta spaghetti, linguini, etc
• 5 cloves fresh garlic chopped, crushed or sliced
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Parmigiano or Romano cheese freshly grated (I prefer Pecorino Romano)
• kosher salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
• optional 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

• Fill an 8-quart stock pot with water to 3/4 full. Bring to boil, add 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil, and pasta. Cook until al dente.
• While pasta is cooking, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to large fry pan. When pasta is five minutes away from being done, heat fry pan on medium.
• Once pasta is al dente, add garlic and crushed pepper to the heated fry pan and toss for about 30 seconds - and then add pasta, directly from the water, to the pan. Carefully toss until coated with olive oil. Add more if needed.
• Season with salt, pepper and 3/4 of the fresh parsley. Taste and add more seasoning if needed. Add reserved pasta water, 2 tablespoons at a time, until all ingredients are combined, moist and steaming hot.
• To serve, add to individual plates with plenty of grated cheese and additional red pepper flakes if desired. Garnish with fresh parsley.
• Enjoy!