There are five ingredients in this dish. That is the test. When there is nothing to hide behind, the pasta either earns its place or it does not.
We cook aglio e olio when we want to check something. Before we talk about a new batch to anyone, we cook it this way first. The oil picks up the garlic, the starchy water brings it together, and the pasta either holds the sauce or it does not. Five ingredients is enough information.
The only technique that matters: keep the heat lower than you think you need to.
Set servings and units first. You can change them anytime.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it generously.
Slice the garlic thin. The thinner the slice, the more evenly it colors.
Cook the spaghetti for 9 minutes. Before draining, reserve 2 cups of pasta water.
While the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil in a wide skillet over the lowest heat your stove can manage. Add the garlic and chili flakes. Let it cook slowly for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is pale gold. Do not let it brown.
When the garlic is golden, add 1/2 cup of pasta water to the skillet. Stir to combine into a light emulsion.
Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet. Toss over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, adding more pasta water a tablespoon at a time if needed, until each strand is glossy and coated.
Remove from heat. Add a small drizzle of raw olive oil and scatter the parsley. Serve immediately.
You made Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. Time to eat.
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Add the pasta water to the oil before the pasta, not after. Let it emulsify first. If you add pasta directly to dry oil, it will not coat evenly.
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