Aglio Olio Peperoncino

This pasta dish is often eaten after a long night of fun or even after a light dinner because it's so easy to make (you may have all the ingredients in your pantry already) yet so flavorful. My twist is adding toasted pine nuts to enhance the rich and buttery taste of the dish. A word of caution: Don't let the garlic burn!

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces (340g) linguine or spaghetti
• 2-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon chopped peperoncino chili or red pepper flakes
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ bunch of Italian flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked off and finely chopped, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts (optional)
• 1 pinch of flaky sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

METHOD

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the linguine and cook per the package instructions until just al dente (cooked but still firm to the bite). Drain the linguine, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.

2. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat gently saute the garlic and peperoncino chile in 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Do not allow them to burn.

3. Add most of the Italian flat-leaf parsley to the pan, reserving a pinch for garnishing, and turn off the heat.

4. In a separate medium pan over low heat, toast the pine nuts for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned.

5. Add the toasted pine nuts and linguine to the saute pan with the sauce, along with the salt and pepper and a splash of pasta water. Using tongs, turn the pasta to coat it in the fragrant oil.

6. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and some pasta water, a little at a time, until you have a lovely thick sauce coating the pasta.

7. Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, a little more parsley, and lots of Parmesan cheese and serve.