Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

1. 1Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti until just shy of al dente. Reserve a mugful of the pasta water before draining.
2. 2While the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil in a large, cold pan over medium-low heat and add the garlic straight away. Starting the garlic in cold oil, rather than dropping it into hot oil, is what lets it cook through gently instead of browning on the outside while staying raw within.
3. 3Cook slowly, stirring often, for 4–5 minutes, until the garlic turns a pale, even gold. Watch it closely for the last minute — the gap between golden and burnt is short, and burnt garlic tastes bitter enough to ruin the whole pan.
4. 4As soon as it's golden, add the chilli flakes and take the pan off the heat immediately. The residual heat is enough to toast the chilli without scorching the garlic further.
5. 5Add the drained spaghetti directly to the pan along with a good splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously over low heat for a minute or two, until the water and oil emulsify into a light sauce that clings to the strands rather than pooling underneath them.
6. 6Add more pasta water a little at a time if it looks dry — the starch in it is what holds the sauce together, since there's no cheese or butter to do that job here.
7. 7Stir through most of the parsley, taste and adjust the salt, and serve immediately with the rest of the parsley on top and Parmesan alongside if you're using it.

Tap a step to cross it off. Your place is saved on this device.