Pasta Aglio e Olio from "Chef"
Adrian and I have been newly obsessed with Binging with Babish, a Youtube channel that is all about recreating iconic foods from famous movies and TV shows. This guy has covered everything; from Pulp Fiction's "Big Kahuna Burger", to The "Moistmaker" from Friends, and even Spongebob's "Krabby Patty"! How crazy are these recipes? So naturally we had to try one out.
Now, as an avid eater of pasta and all things noodle, it shouldn't surprise you that I adored this recipe. It was fresh and fragrant, and if you've ever seen the movie you'd know how good it was solely based on ScarJo's reaction when she eats it. In the movie he uses linguine, and in my opinion too much parsley, but that didn't stop us from making it our own (minus the giant carving fork, we're not THAT fancy).
"Aglio e Olio" directly translates to garlic and oil, which is exactly what this dish is. There are only six ingredients:
- garlic
- good quality olive oil
- parsley
- red pepper flakes
- lemon juice
- linguine
It is basic, but the flavours are sophisticated. The parsley is very aromatic and really brightens up the dish. Paired with lemon juice and freshly chopped garlic, you really can't go wrong with making this.
The whole thing only takes about 20 minutes to make (including prep time). It all comes together at once, so as long as you have all your ingredients ready before you start, then this will be one of the fastest dinners you'll ever make.
To ensure you perfectly cook the garlic and spices without burning them, you have to use a relatively low heat. This way, they can slowly infuse the olive oil with flavour. The garlic toasts off in the pan for about two minutes, then marries with the parsley, and the red pepper flakes give the pasta just a little kick. Then, we topped it off with some lemon juice to add a bit of acidity, and salt and pepper to taste.
I never realized how effective using pasta water in olive oil based sauces was until making this. It took the dish from a thick, seized up mound of noodles, to a silky, pull-apart "sauce" covering every inch of angel hair pasta (because I like the thin noodles).
We've made this three times now so clearly it is a winner. To find the recipe, you can either watch the video, or find it on the Binging with Babish website. If you do make this, let me know what you think in the comments section! Share a little love with us carb lovers.
