How do you make spaghetti aglio e olio that isn't greasy?
Greasy aglio e olio is oil sitting on the pasta instead of clinging to it. Cook sliced garlic and chilli gently in the oil until just pale gold, then add a ladle of starchy pasta water and the slightly underdone spaghetti, and toss hard over the heat until the oil and water come together into a light, cloudy sauce that coats every strand.
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Spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino is the midnight pasta, the empty-fridge pasta, the pasta made with what is always in the cupboard. Wikipedia's entry on the dish places it in Neapolitan cooking, with spaghetti, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, chilli and often parsley. With so few ingredients, technique is everything, and the commonest failure is a slick of oil at the bottom of the bowl.
Why it goes greasy
Oil and water don't mix on their own. If you pour garlicky oil over drained pasta, the oil coats the outside and pools beneath. What you want is an emulsion: oil dispersed into a little starchy pasta water, so the sauce turns slightly creamy and clings. Wikipedia's entry notes that some recipes add a little pasta water to the oil to make a sauce; we think that is what makes the dish.
The garlic: gentle, not brown
Slice the garlic thinly, or crush it lightly if you want it milder. Put it in a wide pan with a generous amount of olive oil, while the oil is still cool, and warm it over low to medium heat. You are infusing the oil, not frying the garlic.
Watch it closely. When the slices are fragrant and the palest gold, add the chilli, either fresh slices or flakes. If the heat is too fierce or you look away, garlic turns brown and bitter in moments; why garlic burns so fast explains the hurry. If it does burn, start the oil again. It will be bitter otherwise.
Take the pan off the heat while the pasta finishes if the garlic is ready early.
The pasta water
Cook the spaghetti in well-salted water, and don't use a huge amount of it; slightly starchier water emulsifies better. Pull the pasta out a minute or two before it is al dente, because it will finish cooking in the pan. Keep a mug of the cooking water before draining, or lift the pasta straight from the pot with tongs. Our page on what pasta water is for goes further.
The toss
This is where it comes together:
- Add a ladle of pasta water to the garlic oil. It will sizzle and spit, and start to turn cloudy. Swirl.
- Add the pasta.
- Toss and stir hard over medium heat. Tongs, a spoon and some wrist. The water and oil will combine into a pale, glossy sauce as the pasta finishes cooking and releases starch.
- If it looks dry or oily, add a splash more water and keep tossing. If it looks wet, keep tossing; it will tighten.
- Off the heat, add chopped parsley and a thread of raw olive oil for fragrance.
It's ready when the sauce clings to each strand and leaves only a thin, creamy film on the pan, not a pool of oil.
Small variations
- Lemon zest stirred in at the end for brightness.
- Toasted breadcrumbs on top for crunch; see pangrattato.
- Anchovy melted into the oil with the garlic, for those who like it.
- Cheese: Wikipedia's entry notes that most traditional recipes leave it out, though Parmesan or pecorino can be added. Your bowl, your call.
- Greens: wilted cavolo nero or broccoli tossed through.
FAQ
Can we use pre-minced garlic from a jar?
It works in a pinch but burns faster and tastes sharper. Fresh sliced garlic gives a sweeter, more rounded result.
Why is our aglio e olio bland?
Usually not enough salt in the pasta water, too little garlic or chilli, or too little oil. Taste and adjust in the pan before serving.
Which pasta shape works best?
Spaghetti is classic, and linguine or spaghettoni work well. Long shapes take the emulsion better than short ones.
Sources
Written by the Zestasy editors. General information for curious adults, not medical, nutrition or training advice.