Skip to Content
Advertisement
Recipes

The Simple Perfection of Pasta Aglio e Olio

Our Editor-in-Chief offers a recipe for Pasta Aglio e Olio on the podcast "Beyond The Burner" championing the simplicity of Italian cuisine.

10:00 AM EST on February 28, 2025

Pasta Aglio e Olio by Andrew Cotto. Photo courtesy of Erika Katz.

Pasta Aglio e Olio by Andrew Cotto. Photo courtesy of Erika Katz.

I love pasta agio e olio. The simple perfection of three essential Italian ingredients speaks to the exceptionalism of la cucina italiana.

I was so happy to attest to this brilliance on my recent appearance on the Beyond The Burner podcast, discussing, among other things, the benefits of Italian ingredients and the wellness they foster.

The episode is here with the recipe below:

Pasta Aglio e Olio

Pasta Aglio e Olio

Recipe by Andrew Cotto
0.0 from 0 votes
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup 1/4 “everyday” extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

  • high quality EVOO (for anointing at the end)

  • 1 lb. 1 dry spaghetti or any long pasta

  • 5 cloves 5 garlic, peeled (germ removed from the center, if present) and sliced very thin

  • 1 teaspoon 1 red pepper flakes (optional)

  • 2 tablespoons 2 minced flat-leaf parsely

  • grated Parmigiano or Pecorino cheese (to taste, optional)

  • Kosher salt

Directions

  • Bring a large pot of water to boil.
  • Add a palm-full of salt (about a 1/4 cup).
  • Add the pasta, stir until a boil returns.
  • Set the timer for four minutes short of package instructions for “al dente.”
  • Add the olive oil and garlic to a cold, large saute pan.
  • When the timer goes off, turn on the flame to medium-low and allow the garlic to warm in the olive oil (do not let it burn!) for two minutes.
  • Season with salt and red pepper flakes.
  • Transfer the pasta from the boiling water directly to the pan.
  • Add 1/2 cup of pasta water to the pan.
  • Toss thoroughly until the pasta absorbs the water and has a nice sheen.
  • Off the heat, anoint with the high-quality EVOO, add the parsley (and cheese, if using), toss and serve.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @appetitomagazine on Instagram and hashtag it with #italianfoodanddrink

Like this recipe?

Follow @Appetitomagazine on Pinterest

Follow us on Facebook!

Follow us on Facebook

More Stories

A Weekend in Piacenza with Molino Dallagiovanna

Local dishes and a harvest celebration offer a taste of Italy’s wheat traditions.

October 7, 2026

Sara Carusone and La Masserie’s Pallagrello Wines

Three generations preserve Campania’s native grapes while embracing modern winemaking.

October 7, 2026

What Columbus Means to Italian-Americans

An offering on how the significance of Columbus to Italian-Americans is distinct from the disputed legacy of the Italian explorer.

October 7, 2026

La Posata Brings Puglian Focaccia to Copenhagen

Luca Scaglia shares how his grandmother’s recipe inspired him to introduce a Puglian specialty to Danish diners.

Chef Gennaro Liguori’s Culinary Journey to New York

Now cooking at Le Pavillon, the Naples native reflects on how kitchens in London, Japan and France deepened his understanding of Italian cuisine.

October 6, 2026

A Festival of Fire and Pumpkins in Orsara di Puglia

For one night each November, the living gather to guide the souls of the dead home.

October 5, 2026