Bhook on a budget: Aglio e Olio, Or The Quickest Pasta Ever

If Aglio e Olio sounds intimidating, don’t worry, it’s anything but. This quick pasta dish is ready in basically ten minutes, and only has TWO ingredients. Could it get any easier? I really doubt it. Aglio e Olio literally means garlic and oil in Italian…that kind of gives away the two ingredients, doesn’t it? And if you’re thinking that this sounds too bland, you’re wrong. Abundant garlic packs a mean punch, and if you use good quality olive oil, you’ll get that lovely rich earthy flavor from the oil as well. Together, they make magic. You can add more things if you like, such as chili flakes, or parsley, or cheese, but really, less is more with this one. Here’s how to make it:

Ingredients:

Half a box of spaghetti

¼ - ½ cup olive oil

12-13 cloves of garlic



Method:

Boil your spaghetti according to package instructions. In the meantime, thinly slice or dice your garlic cloves. In a sauce pan over low flame, pour in the olive oil, and toss in the garlic. Let the oil come up to temperature — by keeping the flame low, we’re allowing more time for the garlic flavors to really seep into the oil and make it a flavorful garlic oil. If you want, toss in a teaspoon of chili flakes as well at this point. You’ll know the oil is hot enough once it starts to shimmer and feels less viscous. Drain your pasta and toss it into the oil and stir to coat evenly. And there you have it. Wonderfully flavorful pasta in less than 20 minutes. If you want, add parmesan cheese on top, but its honestly really good without it as well.