Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

[senior citizen]

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio /Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil (no red sauce)

Salt
1 pound spaghetti or vermicelli or angel hair
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (or more)
10 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste
½ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated, or Pecorino Romano (optional)

Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat.

Stir the spaghetti into the boiling water. Return to a boil, stirring frequently.

Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, but still very firm, about 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the garlic and cook, shaking the skillet and stirring, until pale golden, about 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper.

Ladle about 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water into the sauce.

Add the parsley, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt to taste.

If the skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, take the pasta out of the boiling water with a large wire skimmer and drop it directly into the oil and garlic sauce in the skillet.

If not, drain the pasta, return it to the pot and pour in the sauce.

Bring the oil and garlic sauce and pasta to a simmer, tossing to coat with sauce. Cook until the pasta is coated and done, about 1 minute.

Remove the pot from the heat and toss in the grated cheese, if using. It's actually good without cheese.

Serve immediately in bowls..............another Italian "comfort food". Simple but tasty.

[jblum315]

My favorite!

[skyguy79]

Add some anchovies to that and I'll need a bucket to catch the drool!

http://fcdn.mtbr.com/attachments/colorado-front-range/841285d1382559514-i-think-i-need-take-up-down-hill-drool-smiley.gif

P.S. You taking reservations?

[MikeV]

One of my all time favorites.

[birdawg]

Add some anchovies to that and I'll need a bucket to catch the drool!

http://fcdn.mtbr.com/attachments/colorado-front-range/841285d1382559514-i-think-i-need-take-up-down-hill-drool-smiley.gif

P.S. You taking reservations?

add green olives to kill for

[senior citizen]

Add some anchovies to that and I'll need a bucket to catch the drool!

http://fcdn.mtbr.com/attachments/colorado-front-range/841285d1382559514-i-think-i-need-take-up-down-hill-drool-smiley.gif

P.S. You taking reservations?

I might be, if I don't get hit on the head with all the snow falling off our roof due to the "snow/ice glides"............the sun is out again.

My dad loved anchovies on his spaghetti, just like you.

From about age 4 or 5 I loved the anchovies on the antipasto platter.

I bet you no kid today would want to go near them, including my own grandchildren.

I just looked for a recipe similar to what my dad would make (he and all his brothers were taught to cook by their mom); here is something identical except for the poached egg. I do not recall him ever putting a poached egg on it..........but I do recall the dried breadcrumbs.**

**I also think the toasted or sautéed breadcrumbs on pasta had something to do with his "name day" which would be Saint Joseph's Day. Below recipe only serves TWO. So, double or triple for more servings.

Sicilian Anchovy Pasta with Toasted Breadcrumbs
(Serves 2)

2 room temperature eggs
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 - 1/2 tsp of dried chili flakes
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
8-10 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
1/2 Tbsp of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Angel hair pasta for 2
Good quality extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
1/4 cup of breadcrumbs
Salt for pasta water

Method:
Poach the eggs. Place poached eggs in a bowl of cool water until needed.

Bring salted water to the boil in a large saucepan.

Meanwhile, in a large frying-pan, sweat the onions in 1/4 cup of olive oil over a medium heat.

Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes or until they are translucent.

Add the chili flakes and garlic and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Next, add the chopped anchovies and stir to combine.

Fry for a further 2 minutes, stirring occasionally and then add the chopped parsley. Stir well then remove frying-pan from heat and set aside.

In a separate pan, dry toast the bread crumbs over a medium heat. Shake the pan around to toast the crumbs evenly and keep your eye on them as they burn easily. After about 30 seconds, remove from heat and set aside.

Boil the pasta according to pasta instructions and drain.
Transfer pasta to the frying pan with the anchovy mixture in it and toss well to coat. Sprinkle on a little sea salt and toss again.

Remove poached eggs from water with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper towels.

Divide pasta equally amongst two serving bowls. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.

Sprinkle on bread crumbs and then top with a poached egg.

Mangia !


p.s. 1: Stop drooling into my computer.....

p.s. 2: All of my dad's family knew what to do with simple ingredients found in their humble pantries, that just made delicious everyday meals (which no one can duplicate in any restaurant nowadays.)












　

[rubicon]

My mother's brother's and sister's favorite not so much for me

[senior citizen]

My mother's brother's and sister's favorite not so much for me


It's true; either you like anchovies or you hate them.
I liked them as a child up to perhaps my twenties.

Then, I read about the possibility of botulism in canned imported anchovies.
That was a deal breaker.........for me.

p.s. However, they were on every single antipasto platter in Italian homes plus many people still do crave them on their pizzas.
What Italian morsels do you put on your antipasto platter????

[elizabeth52]

Love pasta done this way!