Aglio e Olio (Garlic and Oil Pasta)

Ingredients

• 1 lb spaghetti
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt

Method

1. Cook pasta in salted water. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
2. Garlic: Heat oil over medium-low. Add sliced garlic, cook slowly 3–4 min until golden (not brown — burnt garlic is bitter and irreversible).
3. Add pepper flakes, 30 sec. Add pasta water, increase heat, let it emulsify with the oil.
4. Add drained pasta, toss vigorously. Add parsley, season.

What You're Practicing

• Garlic technique: low and slow for sweetness, not bitterness
• Oil-based pasta sauce — no cream, no tomato, just technique
• Pasta water emulsion: starch binds oil and water into a cohesive sauce