Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Method

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1. Bring just 2.5 litres of water to the boil and salt it. The smaller volume makes the water far starchier, and that starch is your only emulsifier.

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2. Put the olive oil and sliced garlic in a wide, cold pan and set it over medium-low heat. Let it come up slowly for 5 to 6 minutes until the slices are pale gold and the oil smells sweet. Do not let them brown.

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3. Add the chilli flakes and swirl for 30 seconds, then take the pan off the heat so the garlic stops cooking.

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4. Cook the spaghetti until 2 minutes short of al dente, then reserve 300 ml of the cloudy water.

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5. Return the pan to medium heat, add the drained spaghetti and 150 ml of pasta water, and toss hard and continuously for 2 minutes.

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6. Keep tossing, adding splashes of water, until the oil and water come together into a glossy sauce that clings to the strands rather than pooling in the pan.

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7. Off the heat, fold through the parsley, finish with flaky salt, and serve immediately in warmed bowls.

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Chef’s Tips

• No cheese. Aglio e olio is a Neapolitan dish of oil and garlic, and Parmigiano muddies the emulsion.
• If the sauce looks oily and separate, it needs more pasta water and harder tossing — not more oil.
• Toasted breadcrumbs fried in a little of the garlic oil make an excellent topping in place of cheese.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• A cold Falanghina, or whatever is open
• Serve alone; this dish wants no side
• Follow with a bitter leaf salad

Storage & Reheating

Best eaten immediately — the emulsion breaks within minutes of standing. Leftovers reheat passably in a pan with a splash of water.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.