adam's linguine aglio e olio.

Confession. I love this dish so much that my desktop background is a photo of it. Adam has made this linguine aglio e olio for as long as I can remember. I used to call this stuff ‘engagement pasta’ because I knew I would marry him from the first night he made it as a late night snack seven years ago. Spoiler alert - it worked. It’s a definitely ‘for richer or for poorer’ kind of meal. Simple, complex, spicy, salty, garlicky and addicting AF. Everything a relationship can be without the garlicky part (I hope?).

We spent most of today wine tasting in the Santa Cruz Mountains, sweater shopping, and doing zero grocery shopping. So, we returned home to an empty pantry and a closet that is still too small for anything we just acquired. Luckily, this dish requires six ingredients that I’m sure will be in our kitchen even during the apocalypse. If you don’t have a lot of time or maybe you’re a little too drunk to be cooking at 1-am, this one’s for you.

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To get this recipe started, oversalt the pasta water. You’ll be using some of it to create the sauce later, so remember to save some before you drain the pasta. If you’re not a multi-tasker, it’s easiest to make the breadcrumbs first. All you’re doing is amping up the store bought stuff. Melt some butter in the skillet and sauté the pressed garlic, breadcrumbs, and parmesan cheese together over medium heat. The breadcrumbs are done when they turn a more toasted, darker brown. You’ll use most of the breadcrumbs in the actual sauce (strange but true) and the rest for topping.

In a seperate 6-inch skillet, you’ll tackle trickiest part of this recipe: slowly browning the garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil without burning it. We love olive oil so much that it’s going to be the favor at our wedding…but cooking garlic in it can be temperamental. It can burn very quickly. If you’re making this recipe for the first time, use medium heat and constantly move the garlic around in the skillet. When the garlic becomes slightly browned, immediately add the pasta water and incorporate to minimize the heat on that garlic. Turn the heat down to low. Your pasta will probably finish cooking and be ready to drain by the time you reach this part. Reserve some extra pasta water in case you need to add it to the sauce later.

Toss the cooked pasta in the oil until it’s lightly but evenly coated, and if it’s not quite getting there - just add a little more pasta water. Do not add more oil. You’ll then continue tossing the pasta with the remaining cheese and most of the breadcrumbs. Reserve some breadcrumbs for topping. Steal a noodle and determine if the dish needs any salt of pepper. Adam believes all food should be finished with cracked black pepper. I’m medium on it. Finish it off by sprinkling some additional breadcrumbs and enjoy being spared of any hangover you were going to have tomorrow.

Recipe

Linguine Aglio e Olio

Servings: 4 | Prep time: 15 min | Cook time : 15 min

Recommended Wine Pairing

Sauvignon Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, or Sangiovese

INGREDIENTS

For THE PASTA

1-lb linguine or spaghetti
6 cloves of thinly sliced garlic
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 c. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

For the GARLIC BREADCRUMBS

1 tbsp. of unsalted butter
3 cloves of pressed garlic
2/3 c. Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 c. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

Boil a pot of over-salted water. It should taste salty if you were to give it a little taste.
Add spaghetti to the pot and cook as directed (usually 8-11 minutes).
In a small skillet, heat 1 tbsp. of unsalted butter on medium heat.
Add the pressed garlic, breadcrumbs, and 1/4 c. of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to the small skillet. Combine and keep on the heat until the breadcrumbs turn slightly darker (about 4 minutes).
In a [separate] deep skillet, heat 1/3 c. olive oil. Test the heat of the oil by touching a wooden spoon to the bottom of the skillet. If tiny bubbles appear, the olive is hot enough to start cooking the garlic.
When the oil is ready, add the thinly sliced garlic to the skillet. Continuously move the garlic around in the oil to avoid sticking or burning and cook until the garlic begins to become golden brown (about 3-4 minutes).
Add 1/4 c. of pasta water to the large skillet. Let simmer with the garlic and oil while you drain the pasta. Reserve 1/4 c. extra pasta water just in case.
Add the pasta to the skillet with the garlic and oil. Turn off the heat.
Toss the pasta is evenly coated. If the sauce doesn’t seem to be covering the pasta, add some of the reserved pasta water.
Once evenly coated, add 1/2c. of parmesan and about half of the breadcrumb mixture into the pasta. Toss until coated.
Salt and pepper to taste. Some people like a little squeeze of lemon too.
Serve by sprinkling some of the remaining bread crumbs on top.