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GARLIC, OLIVE OIL AND HOT PEPPER
Spaghetti ajo-ojo peperoncino; aglio olio
Campania
Preparation - Easy
Prep: 10; Cook: 15
Serves 4
Rome and Naples dispute the origin of this dish, which is so simple it can hardly be said to have been invented at all. For all its simplicity, it's remarkably satisfying: Romans turn to ajo-ojo-peperoncino for sustenance in the wee hours when the night is beginning to flag. I keep the ingredients on hand for similar occasions, returning from a long trip, for instance, or when hungry guests show up unexpectedly. The quality of the dish depends on the quality of the olive oil - this is where you should use that extra expensive, extra lush oil your cousin brought you from her last trip to Spoleto.
If you serve spaghetti ajo-ojo-peperoncino as a first course, follow it with a vegetable combination like oven-braised winter vegetables or plain roast or grilled chicken or fish.
If you wish to add freshly grated Parmigiano cheese, do so by all means. Italians think the addition of cheese to sauces that have an abundance of garlic is odd.
- 6 quarts water
- salt to taste
- 1 lb spaghetti, linguine, vermicelli, or other long thin pasta
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 plump garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small dried hot red chili, broken into 2 or 3 pieces, or 1/4 t hot red pepper flakes or more to taste
- 3/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
IN a large pasta kettle, bring the water to a rolling boil. Add a couple tablespoons of salt and plunge the pasta in. Give the pasta a stir with a long-handled spoon and cover the pan. As soon as the water boils again, remove the lid and cook - linguine will probably take about 10 minutes, thinner pasta a little less.
WHILE the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a pan that will hold all the drained pasta over medium-low heat.
ADD the garlic and cook very gently until the garlic softens and just begins to turn golden-about 10 minutes.
ADD the red pepper and parsley together with a ladleful of the pasta cooking water, turn the heat up a little, and let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes. When the pasta is almost done, drain it in a colander and turn it immediately into the pan, mixing the pasta and sauce together well. Let it simmer together for about a minute or so-nothing need be too exact here-and then serve it immediately with salt and pepper.
Nutritional Data, per portion
Calories 448 Carbohydrate 58g Saturated Fat 3g
Protein l0g Sodium 267mg Monounsaturated Fat 15g
Fat 20g Cholesterol l0
Source:
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