The classic Italian spaghetti aglio e olio has only three basic ingredients: pasta, olive oil and garlic. Salt is added for flavor; parsley is sprinkled for color and texture. There are only two steps in the preparation of the dish: boiling the pasta the tossing it in the olive oil in which the garlic had been browned.
In this variation, chopped sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil are added for added burst of flavor and color. Truly and seriously good.
Fettuccine aglio e olio with sun-dried tomatoes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 150 to 180 grams spaghetti (or the usual amount you’d cook for four)
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons minced garlic
- 4 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- juice of half a lemon
- salt to taste
- 1 small handful roughly chopped parsley
- 1 small handful finely sliced basil
- grated Parmesan cheese to serve
Instructions
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Cook the pasta in lots of boiling salted water. When I say salted water, I don’t mean water with a pinch of salt added to it. I mean, really salted water — like sea water.
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Meanwhile, while the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a pan.
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Over medium heat, cook the garlic until lightly browned. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds. Turn off the heat.
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Divide the pasta among four shallow bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.
I love simple pasta dishes such as this. I would usually make my own sun-dried or oven-dried tomatoes during summer, when tomatoes are abundant and cheap, then store them in a jar with a splash or two of olive oil.
I’m also starting to ween my husband from pasta dishes swimming in heavy cream sauce or meat sauce (the way his family’s used to). He’s slowly being converted but he still wants meat of some sort. So I usually put in shrimp and chili flakes.
At what temp do you oven dry the tomatoes?
Clams and mussels are great too with pasta. The cooking liquid is so flavorful.