Neapolitan Classics: Spaghetti Aglio e Olio Alla Oppo

Spaghetti aglio e olio (garlic and oil) are a Neapolitan staple, midnight snack, fast food, comfort food… whatever you like. We LOVE this dish. No one can turn it down – ever! It couldn’t be simpler or faster with garlic, oil, hot pepper (of course!) and spaghetti. But what if you fancy jazzing it up a bit? Well, here’s the perfect recipe for that, invented by E. deNapuleRocca – my frequent muse. Traditional and inherently vegan. Recipe after the photo. Serves two.

Ingredients

• 250g of spaghetti
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 chilli fresh or a teaspoon flaked hot chilli (depending on taste and heat tolerance!)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• salt
• 3 Tablespoons breadcrumbs (or more if you prefer)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or fresh if you have it)
• 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• pinch of nutritional yeast flakes

Method

While you are waiting for the water to boil for your spaghetti, place the breadcrumbs in a frying pan over medium high heat and toast until golden brown (5 minutes or so), remembering to lightly stir. Set aside.

In a separate saucepan and over medium heat, heat the olive oil, the chilli and the garlic cloves. After 5 minutes or so, the garlic should have become golden brown. Take the saucepan off the heat and set aside (optional to discard the garlic cloves).

Hopefully, by now, the water should be boiling. Throw in the spaghetti and cook to your preferred pasta consistency. Before you drain the spaghetti in the colander, take a cupful of the water in which the pasta has cooked and reserve.

Once you’ve drained the pasta (and don’t worry if there’s a bit of water left, it’s ok), return it to the saucepan and to a low heat. Pour in the oil and quickly mix well. Then, pour in the breadcrumbs, parsley and oregano and quickly mix well again. If the spaghetti have gotten too dry, then add a bit of the water and keep mixing until all the ingredients have coated the spaghetti. Serve immediately with a good sprinkle of nutritional yeast flakes.

Please see my Basic Pasta Cooking tips.