This a very simple recipe indeed, but I really wanted to add it in, as it is so evocative of those mad, happy times spent with my big brothers, especially at 3 a.m.! It is simple in terms of its paucity of ingredients, but the skill is all in the execution. Vary the quantities of garlic and chilli according to your preference. Or necessity.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: about 15 minutes
400 g Spaghetti
100 ml Extra Virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
1 or 2 dried red chilli peppers, crushed
Sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, optional
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Throw in the pasta and stir. Cover and return to the boil. Take off the lid as soon as the water returns to the boil.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil, garlic and chilli together in a sauté pan until the garlic goes brown but before it burns and turns the oil bitter. Discard the garlic and chilli and keep the oil hot. Timing is quite crucial, as you don’t want the oil to burn; yet it must be hot.
Drain the pasta, reserving a large cup of pasta water, and return to the hot pot in which the pasta was cooked. Pour over the oil and mix together thoroughly, using the pasta water, added gradually, to help bond everything together and give you a silky, luscious finish. (If you have a large enough sauté pan, tip the cooked spaghetti in on top of the flavoured oil in the pan and add the pasta water to that while you mix it all together.)
Season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and mix in the parsley, if using. Transfer to a warmed serving platter or pasta bowls and serve immediately.
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