Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino

Every Italian nonna knows this recipe by heart. It's what you make at midnight when the fridge is empty but the pantry always holds garlic, olive oil, and a dried chili. The technique is in the garlic: sliced thin, cooked slowly in generous olive oil until it's golden and sweet, not brown and bitter. The chili goes in at the end, so the heat is alive but not angry.

1. 1

   Slice the garlic

   3 min

   Slice garlic as thin as possible — a mandoline helps. Uniform thinness means even cooking.

2. 2

   Slow-cook the garlic

   6 min

   Warm olive oil over low-medium heat. Add garlic slices. Cook gently until they're just turning golden at the edges — about 5-6 minutes. Stir often.

   Chef's note · If the garlic browns, it turns bitter. Low heat is your friend.

3. 3

   Add chili and pasta

   8 min

   Add chili flakes. Cook 30 seconds. Meanwhile, boil spaghetti until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water.

4. 4

   Toss and finish

   2 min

   Transfer spaghetti directly into the skillet with tongs. Toss, adding pasta water to emulsify. Cook 1 minute together. Finish with parsley off heat.