Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (ABCDEF Edition)

Silky spaghetti tossed with golden garlic, a pinch of chili, and starchy pasta water for a glossy, restaurant-style finish.

Ingredients

• 200g spaghetti
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 tsp fine salt (for the pasta water), plus more to taste
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

• 1

  Step 1: Boil pasta

  Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it (it should taste like the sea). Add spaghetti and cook until just al dente, per packet time. **Reserve 3/4 cup (180ml) pasta water**, then drain.

• 2

  Step 2: Gently golden the garlic

  While the pasta cooks, warm olive oil in a large skillet over **medium-low heat**. Add sliced garlic and cook, stirring often, until **light golden and fragrant**, about **3–5 minutes**. Don’t rush this—garlic goes from golden to bitter fast.

• 3

  Step 3: Bloom the chili (optional)

  Stir in red pepper flakes for **20 seconds** until the oil smells toasty and spicy.

• 4

  Step 4: Emulsify the sauce

  Add drained spaghetti to the skillet. Pour in **1/2 cup (120ml)** reserved pasta water and toss vigorously for **30–60 seconds** until the pasta looks **glossy** and the sauce clings (add more pasta water as needed, a splash at a time).

• 5

  Step 5: Finish & serve

  Season with black pepper and a pinch of salt if needed. Toss through parsley if using. Serve immediately while silky and hot.

Tips

• **Key technique:** Keep the heat **medium-low** for garlic—golden is sweet; brown is bitter.
• **No parsley?** Skip it, or add a tiny pinch of dried oregano if you have it (pantry staple).
• **Make it richer:** Add an extra tablespoon of olive oil at the end for a more luxurious finish.
• **Storage:** Best eaten fresh. If needed, refrigerate up to 2 days and reheat in a pan with a splash of water to re-gloss the sauce.

Nutrition (per serving, estimate)