7 easy sauces - #3 Aglio, olio, peperoncino
Spaghetti aglio, olio, peperoncino (spaghetti with garlic, oil and red chilli) is a typical dish of Naples. It has become extremely popular throughout Italy because it is tasty, very easy to make and the ingredients are readily available in most Italian homes. Some say it is a poor man's version of spaghetti with clams (spaghetti alle vongole), but we believe it is a staple in its own right!
Ingredients (4 pax)
400 g spaghetti (or linguine)
4 garlic cloves, peeled, degermed and thinly sliced
4 tablespoons of cooking extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon of finishing EVOO (in this case we chose our easy-going Stoica Leccino)
2 small red chillis (or small flakes of dried red chilli)
Salt
Preparation
Put a pan of salted water on to boil.
Remove the stems of the red chillis, halve them lengthwise, then slice them into small chunks. For a milder taste (and more simplicity), use small flakes of dried red chillis.
In a large deep frying pan set over medium-high heat, add the cooking EVOO, garlic and red chillis, and cook until the garlic is translucent, stopping the heat as soon as it starts to turn golden, about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta until it is al dente, nearly but not quite done and still a bit chalky in the middle. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and drain.
When the oil has cooled for a couple of minutes, add the cooking water, and reduce over high heat by about half.
Add the pasta, and stir vigorously as it continues to cook.
Season with salt and pepper to taste ; plate the spaghetti, garnishing with fresh arugula or a pinch of parsley and a drizzle of finishing olive oil. Ready, set, go!