Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Chapter 3 — The Pastas
In Naples, this dish is a ten-minute midnight snack of garlic, oil, and pasta. But in the Italian-American kitchens of New York, we don't do minimalist—we do unapologetically hearty. When you want the comfort of a Sunday feast but lack four hours for the Sunday Gravy, we take the midnight classic and slow it down. A fistful of garlic and anchovies confit gently in a heavy Dutch oven, melting into a profound, savory oil that emulsifies with starchy pasta water. Showered in crispy, spicy breadcrumbs, it is a glorious, candle-in-a-Chianti-bottle, crowd-feeding masterpiece.
Ingredients
- day-old crusty Italian bread4 oz
- extra-virgin olive oil2 tbsp
- crushed red pepper flakes1/4 tsp
- dry bronze-die spaghetti1 lb
- extra-virgin olive oil3/4 cup
- garlic8 large cloves
- oil-packed anchovy fillets6
- crushed red pepper flakes1 tsp
- fresh flat-leaf parsley1/2 cup
- kosher saltto taste
- Pecorino Romanoto taste
Method
- 01
Preheat the oven to 375°F and toss the grated bread with two tablespoons of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a quarter teaspoon of red pepper flakes on a sheet pan.
Spread them out into an even layer and bake until deeply golden and shatteringly crisp, about 10 to 12 minutes, then set aside to cool.
- 02
Place the Dutch oven on the stove, add three-quarters of a cup of olive oil, the sliced garlic, and the anchovies, then turn the heat to the absolute lowest setting.
Let the garlic and anchovies slowly warm up, using a wooden spoon to gently mash the anchovies until they disappear entirely, allowing the garlic to gently bubble for 25 to 30 minutes until pale golden and incredibly sweet.
- 03
Stir in the remaining teaspoon of red pepper flakes and let them bloom for one minute, then turn off the heat.
The oil will now be infused with a profound, savory flavor.
- 04
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil and cook the spaghetti for exactly two minutes less than the package instructions dictate.
Right before draining the pasta, carefully scoop out one and a half cups of the highly starchy, boiling pasta water and set it aside.
- 05
Turn the heat under the Dutch oven back to medium, carefully pour in a half cup of the reserved pasta water, and stir vigorously until the liquid emulsifies.
It will violently sputter and hiss, forming a cloudy, thick liquid.
- 06
Drop the undercooked spaghetti into the Dutch oven and violently toss the noodles in the bubbling liquid using tongs.
The pasta will absorb the flavorful oil and finish cooking, binding with the starches to create a thick, glossy sauce; if the pan looks dry, splash in more reserved pasta water a quarter-cup at a time.
- 07
Remove the pot from the heat, add the chopped parsley, and toss one final time.
Taste a strand of pasta to ensure it has a firm bite but no chalky center, adjusting the salt if necessary.
- 08
Transfer the glistening pasta to a massive warmed serving platter and shower the top heavily with the crispy breadcrumbs.
Serve immediately with a block of Pecorino and a box grater on the table for anyone looking to flout tradition.
Notes
Never use a garlic press for this recipe.
Crushing garlic ruptures its cell walls and releases a flood of allicin, turning pungent and bitter when cooked; slicing it thinly ensures it stays sweet and mellow.
Do not omit the anchovies out of fear of fishiness.
They completely dissolve to restore a necessary backbone of umami that elevates the dish to a majestic Sunday dinner.
The starchy pasta water is an absolute requirement for a proper emulsion.
Throwing drained pasta into a pool of hot oil without it will result in a greasy, heavy dish; if your sauce breaks, add another splash of hot pasta water and toss furiously.
From Cook Red Sauce at Home.