‘This is simple!’ – My favorite thought when I find recipes that require only a few ingredients yet deliver superlative flavors.
Spaghetti, Garlic, Olive oil – the three key constituents of Spaghetti aglio e olio which translates to Spaghetti with Garlic and oil in Italian.
Olive oil: Heat a quarter cup of olive oil in a shallow pan large enough to hold the pasta. The label on the bottle will tell you if the oil is meant for cooking/roasting or to be drizzled over salads or to be marinated in. Choose the right one. The link below describes the differences.
Garlic: Use large garlic cloves, about 8 of them. Chop them length wise into slivers. Add them to the hot oil and let them turn golden before you toss in the spaghetti. At this point add in red pepper flakes or fresh;y ground pepper. Add salt.
Spaghetti: Always cook pasta according to manufacturer’s instructions to get the bite (al dente). I like to wash the cooked pasta under cold water to stop it from clumping together. For this recipe you need to reserve about a cup of ‘pasta water’ to add to the garlic oil infusion to make the sauce.
Add the pasta water to the garlic oil and let it simmer and reduce to half. Toss in pasta and let it cook for a couple of minutes more so that it can absorb in the sauce. Once off the heat, sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan and toss well. Adjust the salt.
Simple.
Recipe Source: Ina Garten (Food Network)
Vanilla & Masala 
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