“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us.
Life is so endlessly delicious.” - Ruth Reichl
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Pressed for time? Try this dish tonight!
Today was a loooooooong day at work 🙈 Needless to say, I was tired and super hungry. So, I decided to make a pasta dish but not just any pasta dish. I wanted to make a super simple, quick pasta aglio e olio... which is just a fancy way of saying, pasta with garlic and oil.
It is really is true when they say "less is more." I mean, I'm not sure exactly who "they" are, but my golly, they are correct!
Sometimes the best meals are those founded on simplicity. When you use simple methods to create a dish out of a few simple ingredients, it is truly art.
A traditional aglio e olio consists of spaghetti tossed with a sauce made from garlic and chili pepper flakes that have been sautéed in olive oil. The addition of cheese may be added, but it isn't exactly necessary, according to traditional Neapolitan recipes.
Though my dish honours the tried-and-true recipe, the addition of onions, basil, and rosemary further elevates this beloved pasta classic. I must admit that these add-ons were heavily motivated by my beautiful (sorry, I'm proud!) and ever-growing herb garden. After all, I didn't start growing a garden for decoration!
So, with a spring in my step, I sauntered outside to my patio. Plucking a few leaves off of my rosemary plant and a generous basil leaf, I gave them a quick rinse and tossed them into the oil.
What is interesting is that as the ingredients sauté together, the herbs start to infuse the oil, making the sauce incredibly flavourful. It is precisely for this reason that this seemingly ordinary pasta dish transforms into a decadent dinner!
I can say that this dish received a thumbs up from my entire family, which means you should definitely give it a go with yours! You'll be surprised at how easy and delicious cooking #simplydecadent can be!
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Simply Decadent Spaghetti
*Makes 4 servings*
INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1/2 small white onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili flakes
A few fresh rosemary leaves (not sprigs) and a basil leaf
Spaghetti
1/2 cup pasta water
1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano , freshly grated
METHOD
Melt butter with olive oil.
Sauté onions and garlic. Add spices and herbs, bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a tablespoon of salt and one of olive oil to the water. Cook pasta until al dente.
Add 1/2 cup of pasta water to the sauce. Stir in the Parmigiano.
Drain pasta and add to sauce.
Plate with a single basil leaf for garnish.