Aglio e olio: the original recipe with the right olive oil

For a true aglio e olio recipe, use a robust, peppery extra virgin olive oil (such as Coratina from Puglia) and pasta water to bind the sauce. This is because the starch in the water combines oil and moisture into a creamy emulsion — without cream, butter, or cheese. Ready in 15 minutes.

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Aglio e olio is proof that Italian cuisine isn't about ingredients, but about timing. Four things everyone has at home, yet the difference between a fantastic and a disappointing plate is enormous. That difference lies in two places: the temperature of your garlic and the quality of your oil.

The original aglio e olio recipe

For 2 people · 15 minutes · 10 minutes cooking time · ±620 kcal per serving

Ingredients:

• 200 g spaghetti
• 6 tbsp robust extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 small red chili or ½ tsp chili flakes
• a generous handful of flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
• coarse sea salt for the cooking water

Instructions:

1. Bring plenty of water to a boil and salt it generously — the pasta water will be your sauce.
2. Cook the spaghetti 1 minute less than package directions, until truly al dente.
3. Meanwhile, place a cold frying pan over low heat with the olive oil and garlic slices.
4. Let the garlic slowly infuse for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly golden; it should not brown. Add the chili.
5. Reserve a cup of pasta water. Add the drained spaghetti to the oil and pour in 4 tablespoons of pasta water.
6. Vigorously shake the pan back and forth for 30 to 60 seconds until the sauce glistens and clings to the pasta.
7. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the parsley, and serve immediately.

Which olive oil do you use for aglio e olio?

The best olive oil for aglio e olio is a robust, peppery extra virgin olive oil, such as a Coratina from Puglia or a Spanish Picual. In this dish, the oil is not cooking fat but the main flavour: there is nothing to hide behind. The bitterness and peppery kick that you would avoid in a dressing actually give body here. According to the International Olive Council, these notes come from polyphenols — natural antioxidants that also make the oil more stable when heated.

We used our Olio Mimi Coratina from Puglia: one olive variety, one harvest, pressed in the family's own frantoio (oil mill).

How do you prevent the garlic from burning?

Start in a cold pan. If you throw garlic into hot oil, the outside will be black before the inside has released its flavour — and burnt garlic makes the whole dish bitter. Let the pan, oil, and garlic warm up slowly together over low heat. When you see the first golden colour, you're done. In doubt? Take the pan off the heat; it will continue to cook.

Why isn't my sauce binding?

Almost always because the pasta water is too clean or the pan remains too still. Cook your pasta in less water, so it becomes starchy, and shake the pan vigorously. That motion is what forces oil and water into an emulsion — the same principle as a vinaigrette, but with starch instead of mustard.

2 variations that don't spoil the dish

With a spicy chili olive oil

Replace the fresh chili with 2 tablespoons of chili-infused olive oil, added at the end, off the heat. This way, the aroma of the chili remains intact instead of cooking away.

With anchovies (aglio, olio e alici)

Let 3 anchovy fillets melt in the garlic oil before adding the pasta. The dish won't be fishy, but deep and savoury — a classic Southern Italian variant.

Storing and serving

Aglio e olio waits for no one: the emulsion breaks when it cools, and reheated garlic becomes sharp. Make just enough and serve immediately. What you can do in advance: slowly confit the garlic in oil and store it separately — then the dish will be ready in eight minutes later. Parmesan is not traditionally included; the oil does the work.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make aglio e olio?

Slowly sauté thin garlic slices until lightly golden in extra virgin olive oil, mix them with al dente spaghetti and a splash of pasta water, then toss the pan until the sauce binds. Finish with parsley.

Which olive oil is best for aglio e olio?

A robust, peppery extra virgin olive oil such as Coratina or Picual. The oil is the main flavour here, so a mild oil will make the dish bland.

Why isn't my aglio e olio creamy?

There's either not enough starch in your pasta water or you're not tossing the pan enough. Cook the pasta in less water and shake the pan vigorously for 30 to 60 seconds.

Does aglio e olio include cheese?

No, traditionally not. In Southern Italy, the dish remains cheeseless so that the olive oil and garlic determine the flavour.

Why shouldn't the garlic brown?

Brown garlic is bitter, and that bitterness will infuse into the oil, and thus the entire dish. Therefore, start in a cold pan over low heat.

Made it yourself? Share your dish with us on Instagram: @olijfoliemarktnl.