Spaghetti with garlic and oil (aglio e olio)


This is a wonderfully versatile side dish. Decrease the quantity of garlic to complement mild-flavored main courses. Increase it to accompany strongly savory dishes.

Cook 1 pound of spaghetti according to the package directions. While that is cooking,

Sautee 5 minced garlic cloves in 1/2 cup olive oil,  in a large skillet. Don't over-cook the garlic, for that produces a bitter flavor. You want the garlic just beginning to turn golden.

When the garlic is done, halt the sauteeing by taking the pan from the heat and adding 1/4 cup water. 

 Stir into the skillet:

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 teaspoon salt

Add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet and toss to combine the ingredients. Adjust the seasoning. Serve the seasoned spaghetti alongside the entree of your choice.

Some cooks liven up the presentation with some diced tomato sprinkled atop the spaghetti, or with sun-dried tomato pieces rehydrated in dry white wine, but those additions are, to my mind, only gilding the lily. A side dish ought not call attention to itself except by its excellence as an accompaniment, and this dish already has that.

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