Spaghetti Aglio y Olio
You need to be able to cook this classic.
Ingredients
80 ml olive oil, extra virgin or regular
500 g packet of spaghetti
5 or 6 large cloves of garlic, (you need thin slices)
1 teaspoon of thyme or oregano (or a mix of both - use mixed herbs if that’s all you have)
¼ Teaspoon or ½ teaspoon chilli flakes - note strength for the next time you make it
75 g parmesan cheese grated finely (you will need more for serving)
3 tablespoons of pasta water
Black Pepper
Salt
Fresh Parsley – preferably flat leaf
Method
Ok - when it comes to making pasta - you really need to start by being able to nail the basics! If you can make this - you can make something delicious anytime you want … it can be your hangover food … or a reason to drink a nice bottle of Italian wine! Go for it.
To read my blog on this dish check it out HERE
I slice my garlic before I start cooking the pasta - but I have the kettle boiled and I’ve noted how long the pasta takes to cook.
Add your oil to a pan and heat it but on a low heat. Add your thinly sliced garlic and make sure that the oil is cooking it but not not burning it …. nice and slow is the key here.
Once you are happy that it’s cooking slowly add your chilli flakes and thyme and a couple of twists of Black Pepper. If you don’t like it spicy just use a pinch of chilli flakes, 1/4 teaspoon will give kick and 1/2 teaspoon will be hot!
You should have your pasta cooking while you are cooking the garlic. (Do NOT drain before you have reserved your pasta water)
Now keep an eye on this - its easy to cook but easy to burn the garlic and ruin it too! Once the garlic starts to develop a golden colour you are ready to bring it altogether.
Add your pasta water, salt and pepper to the garlic and oil and mix it well with a fork. You want to get that starch well mixed into the oil. Then add your drained pasta to the pan. Toss the pasta well to coat it with oil and garlic and turn off the heat.
Add your parmesan and a little parsley if you have it, to the pot, tossing it well through.
To make nests of the pasta to put on the plate - pull the pasta up with a fork and twist it in a ladle. But no matter how you place this on a plate - it will be delicious!
Serving
Make sure to serve this with more parmesan and black pepper available to season at the table. If you are unsure about how much parsley to serve - just add a small bit of chopped parsley and leave the rest at the table too.
Make Notes
This is the exact dish you will regret not making your own notes about. This is comfort food so you will always want it to be perfect. When you make it - note how much chilli you used and would you like less or more next time. And remember - you can always add more parmesan at the table - in fact that’s half the joy!
Aivar Pasta Salad
Picnics and Barbecues Sorted
Ingredients
Serves 3 - 4
100 g Fusilli/Penne
2 Tablespoons Ajvar/Aivar - eg Pelagonia
1 Tablespoon olive oil - to thin the aivar
Sun-dried tomatoes sliced finely
Parmesan Shavings
Black Pepper
Rocket or spinach - basil optional
For larger amount
400 g Fusilli
6 Tablespoons Ajvar/Aivar - eg Pelagonia
3 Tablespoons olive oil - to thin the aivar
Spicy Options
Aivar is available in a hot variety if you want a bit of a kick to your salad. However if you just have regular but wouldn’t mind a bit of spice you can use chilli oil to thin the aivar and sometimes I marinate my sun-dried tomatoes in chilli oil - see here.
See Below for Notes and Serving Suggestions
Method
This is Easy - so easy - but delicious. Aivar is a welcome change from pesto and I find myself using it all the time these days!
I’ve given you the amount for 100g of pasta and its easy to double up from there.
Cook the pasta and put it into a nice serving bowl which you can easily stir it in.
Mix your aivar with olive oil and stir it through the pasta with plenty of black pepper and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
You can set it aside now if making in advance.
Add some rocket or torn spinach leaves - and of course some basil if you fancy it.
Add some parmesan shavings
And stir it all through.
Serving
The parmesan and leaves are at their best if served immediately but of course this salad keeps for a day or two in the fridge or will be a winner at a picnic.
Notes/Alternative Ingredients
Of course grated parmesan will taste lovely if you don’t have shavings but it will make the Aivar a bit gloopy and be better added when serving as left overs will keep better without it. Shavings keep well.
See here for how I marinate my sun dried tomatoes
This salad can be adjusted to your own tastes and other herbs or olives or feta can be used if they are your preference.
Aivar Pasta Salad
Picnics and Barbecues Sorted
Ingredients
Serves 3 - 4
100 g Fusilli/Penne
2 Tablespoons Ajvar/Aivar - eg Pelagonia
1 Tablespoon olive oil - to thin the aivar
Sun-dried tomatoes sliced finely
Parmesan Shavings
Black Pepper
Rocket or spinach - basil optional
Spicy Options
Aivar is available in a hot variety if you want a bit of a kick to your salad. However if you just have regular but wouldn’t mind a bit of spice you can use chilli oil to thin the aivar and sometimes I marinate my sun-dried tomatoes in chilli oil - see here.
See Below for Notes and Serving Suggestions
Method
This is Easy - so easy - but delicious. Aivar is a welcome change from pesto and I find myself using it all the time these days!
I’ve given you the amount for 100g of pasta and its easy to double up from there.
Cook the pasta and put it into a nice serving bowl which you can easily stir it in.
Mix your aivar with olive oil and stir it through the pasta with plenty of black pepper and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
You can set it aside now if making in advance.
Add some rocket or torn spinach leaves - and of course some basil if you fancy it.
Add some parmesan shavings
And stir it all through.
Serving
The parmesan and leaves are at their best if served immediately but of course this salad keeps for a day or two in the fridge or will be a winner at a picnic.
Notes/Alternative Ingredients
Of course grated parmesan will taste lovely if you don’t have shavings but it will make the Aivar a bit gloopy and be better added when serving as left overs will keep better without it. Shavings keep well.
See here for how I marinate my sun dried tomatoes
This salad can be adjusted to your own tastes and other herbs or olives or feta can be used if they are your preference.
No Egg Carbonara
Insanely Good
Ingredients
Serves 3 - 4
Unsmoked Pancetta /Lardons/ Bacon
depends on pack size but you can use up to about 170g
Knob of butter + 20g butter
4 large cloves Garlic sliced finely
¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
¼ teaspoon Thyme
Olive oil
3 Tablespoons Pasta water - reserve a bit more just in case.
4 Tablespoons Cream cheese - 80g
250 g Spaghetti or similar.
Grated Parmesan Cheese - 2 tablespoons plus more to serve
Salt and Black Pepper
Utensils
You will be adding your cooked pasta to the garlic and cheese mixture so start this dish off in a frying pan or small wok big enough to stir it all around in.
Have your kettle boiled for pasta so that when you start cooking it will come to the boil more quickly. Read the pack to be sure how long it takes to cook because it only takes a couple of minutes to do the butter and cheese and you need be ready with your pasta straight away.
See Below for Notes and Serving Suggestions
Method
This is Easy - but its worth reading a few times before you start - just to get your timing and prep right!
Melt a knob of butter in a large frying pan - you can add a drop of oil to stop it burning if you like. Add your pancetta and fry to just how you like to eat it as it will not be getting any further cooking after you set it aside. You can cook it on a high enough heat but remember to keep stirring it. Once it is cooked removed it with a slotted spoon so that the oil remains in the pan.
Use the fat from the bacon to cook your garlic - you can add a bit of oil if you don’t have enough. Turn the heat right down and let the pan cool a bit before slowly cooking your garlic on a low heat. You want the garlic to infuse into the oil and not burn. So keep an eye on it and keep stirring. You want it to turn translucent and then golden but NOT brown!
As this is cooking add the chilli flakes, thyme and a good few twists of black pepper.
At this stage your spaghetti should be cooking in well salted water with a little splash of oil so the pasta doesn’t stick together. Once the pasta is at least half cooked take your pasta water and set aside.
To your garlic, add in 20g of butter and the pasta water and mix madly so you get a bit of an emulsion going. Pasta water is the magic ingredient in this type of cooking.
Now add your cream cheese and several twists of black pepper and mix it well in - its probably going curdle a bit … don’t worry! Add 1 or 2 tablespoons grated parmesan but not too much as you can add more at the table. Now get your pasta and your pancetta and using 2 forks to really get under the pasta mix the whole lot well through until it is all coated.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Serving
Make sure to serve this with more parmesan and black pepper available to season at the table. If you have parsley use it as a seasoning or decoratively.
Notes/Alternative Ingredients
I don’t add extra salt to this dish as there should be plenty of salt in the pasta water and the pancetta.
Note how much thyme and chilli you used and add more next time if you like it spicier.
If you don’t have pancetta - you could use rashers, lardons or left over ham - but just don’t used smoked versions.
Once you get good at this - which is basically timing … you will also be more relaxed about your quantities … if you use a bit more cream cheese so what … if you don’t have as much as you need … add a bit more parmesan.