An authentic recipe for a traditional Roman dish. Simplicity itself!
Another day, another great recipe from the cucina povera tradition. This is soooo simple, and soooo tasty. But you can easily bugger it up. Pay attention!
You won't regret it.
INGREDIENTS
spaghetti
salt
olive oil
garlic
pepper
dried chilli flakes
parsley
Watch the video
METHOD
Top and tail the garlic, peel it and slice it mighty fine
NB - do NOT crush or batter the garlic. Be nice
Finely chop the parsley
Boil well-salted water and add the spaghetti - you can turn it down a bit - it doesn't have to keep boiling!
Set a timer for 8 minutes
Put a good cup of olive oil in a pan and gently heat it up
Add the garlic and give it a good stir through the oil
A medium heat - the garlic mustn't brown
When the garlic is bubbling a bit in the oil, add some pepper and a good couple of pinches of chilli flakes (more or less as you desire the heat)
Stir it all through, and after a couple of minutes, add two or three ladles of pasta water - watch out for the bubble and fizz!
Add three quarters of the parsley and stir it through
After the 8 minutes, add the pasta - as with several of these recipes: don't drain it first: just lift it from the water
Reserve some pasta water in case you need to add it later
Stir the pasta though thoroughly and cook for another 2 minutes
NB - pasta makers would ask you stir the pasta thoroughly, but gently. Use a wooden spoon, not tongs. Don't break the pasta - be nice.
Add the rest of the parsley and stir through
Keep the pasta wet - use the reserved water if it gets too dry: remember it is still cooking
NB - Romans would NEVER put cheese on this. It is finished as it is. No cheese, no pepper, no breadcrumbs. Of course you can add these things - it's your dinner. But just try it as it should be - just this once. Go on. You'll like it.
Ah, you will you will you will you will . You will. Go on...