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aglio e olio recipe

Silky Lemon Garlic Aglio e Olio Pasta

Transform simple pantry ingredients into a luxurious pasta dish with a silky lemon-garlic sauce that clings to every strand.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 8 ounces spaghetti or linguine
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • red pepper flakes to taste
  • 1/2 lemon lemon juice fresh
  • kosher salt
  • grated Parmesan or Romano cheese optional, for serving

Equipment

  • Large stock pot
  • Large skillet
  • Large bowl

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add kosher salt and vegetable oil, then cook pasta until al dente. Reserve pasta water before draining.
  2. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil with two-thirds of the minced garlic and a pinch of salt over low heat until garlic is golden brown. Remove from heat and stir in remaining garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and 2-3 tablespoons reserved pasta water.
  3. Toss drained pasta with garlic mixture in a large bowl, then return to skillet. Add remaining olive oil, more salt, and reserved pasta water. Cook over medium heat while tossing constantly for about 1 minute until silky emulsion forms.
  4. Serve immediately, optionally topped with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

Notes

Reserve pasta water before draining to help create the silky sauce that coats the pasta.