Spaghetti Alio Olio e Pepperoncino

This is my favourite pasta dish. It's so simple and the perfect thing to make if you have nothing in the house. Other than the parsley most things are pantry items. This is the perfect amount  for two people. You wont need to worry about Vampires after eating this meal!

Buon Appetito.

You will need:

• a box of good dry spaghetti (like Barilla or DeCecco)
• 3 cloves of garlic sliced
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes (pepperoncino)
• 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil
• pasta water (very important!)
• salt/pepper 

Optional *tomatoes diced fine

Step 1: gather all your ingredients. Chop parsley, slice garlic, grate cheese and chop tomato if using.

Step 2: Boil water, add lots of salt (it should taste like the sea!) and get your pasta cooking. The sauce will be done before the noodles are cooked. Cook pasta to al dente (means to the tooth) according to time on box. It should be a bit hard to the tooth when done. 

Step 3: fry garlic and chili flakes in olive oil. Cook the garlic until just starting to brown around edges, then set aside until pasta is done.

Step 4: Return pan to heat adding parsley. Remove the pasta from the water with tongs putting directly into pan with cooking garlic, chili flakes and parsley. Add a few tablespoons of pasta water to the pan. This is important because the starchy water helps to keep the pasta moist and makes a sort of sauce. Add most of the grated cheese and mix with tongs, add a bit more water if necessary. This should take about a minute of extra cooking and that's why you take out the pasta al dente because it will continue to cook while in the pan.

Step 5: plate your pasta and top with additional grated Parmesan, salt and pepper and I like to get a drizzle of my best olive oil for a fresh olive oil taste at the finish. Clean and bright with the chilies and loads of bold garlic taste complementing the salty Parmesan. I love it.

Big Pete likes his with little or no Parmesan (weirdo!) and tomatoes.