You will impress the people you cook for when you serve them this dish. It has everything you could ever want:
– It’s fast – cooks in about the time it takes to get the water boiling and cook the spaghetti
– It’s cheap – who doesn’t like that?
– The flavors are perfect together, like a symphony
I took the recipe from Rachael Ray, but she does say she didn’t make it up. It’s a classic and with good reason. She calls it Spaghetti con Aglio e Olio, but since I’m kind of lazy, I just say it in English.
I do admit to being afraid of anchovies before I made this recipe. (Don’t leave me now! Hang in there, it will be okay!) I’d never bought them or eaten them, but Rachael promises that they don’t taste like fish when they’re cooked up in this recipe – and she’s right! They are outstanding. Don’t leave them out. Even my kids know they’re in there, but the still love this dish. (I kept the anchovies a secret until they tried the dish and liked it.)
I wish I had more step-by-step photos for you, but I was in a hurry to fix this for my hungry family after church and forgot to take any pics.
You’ll need:
1 lb. spaghetti (I like angel hair or vermicelli)
1/3 cups olive oil (RR says 5 times around the pan)
8 cloves of garlic, chopped
8-10 flat anchovy fillet
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (a small pile in the palm of your hand)
fresh flat-leaf parsley
For the Tomato and Onion Salad:
6 Roma tomatoes (or any garden fresh, vine-ripe tomato)
1 small white onion
more flat-leaf parsley
salt and pepper (I like Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper)
Add a loaf of crusty bread and extra oil for dipping it in.
I’m going to add this in two different recipes to make it simpler.
Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil
Ingredients
- 1 lb. spaghetti, I like angel hair or vermicelli
- ⅓ cups olive oil
- 8 cloves garlic, chopped
- 8 - 10 anchovy fillet
- 1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Boil spaghetti for the amount of time listed on the box.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add the anchovies to the pan, breaking them up with the spoon as they cook. They'll disappear into the oil.
- Stir in the red pepper flakes.
- Drain the spaghetti and toss with the anchovy and garlic oil to coat all the noodles.
- Add parsley to the spaghetti and toss to combine.
That’s it! It sounds like a lot of steps but it really does come together fast and it tastes like a bit of Italian heaven!
