Spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino
Credit for this dish goes to chef Alessandro Negrini of Il Luogo de Aimo e Nadia in Milan. Blanched garlic, olive oil, and water are combined together with an immersion blender to create the base of a subtle and flavorful dish. Make sure to serve immediately, as with most pasta dishes. Make sure to scroll to the bottom of the page for step-by-step photos.
GATHER (2-3 servings)
Spaghetti (500g)
Olive oil (preferably a monocultivar Coratina, 100g)
6 garlic cloves
Powdered peperoncino
Parsley
Salt
Water
ASSEMBLE
Peel six cloves of garlic, and with a knife, take out the center of the garlic. (See photos below.)
Bring a small saucepan with water to a light simmer, and place the garlic in the saucepan. Blanch the garlic for about 20-30 seconds, and then dump the contents through a sieve.
Repeat the garlic blanching process two more times, for a total of three blanches. Set the garlic in a container appropriate for an immersion blender, and discard the water.
Add 100g of olive oil to the container with the garlic, and set aside.
Bring a large pot of heavily-salted water to a boil, and once boiling, drop your spaghetti. Set a timer for two minutes less than the recommended time on the box.
Halfway through the pasta boiling process, ladle 100mL of water into the olive oil and garlic container. With an immersion blender (or standard blender) vigorously blend the mixture until the garlic, olive oil, and water are completely emulsified into a smooth, golden sauce.
Pass the sauce through a sieve into a large saucepan. Add 1-2 teaspoons of powdered peperoncino, finely-chopped parsley, and the spaghetti once completed.
The heat from the spaghetti should be enough to finish the sauce, although setting over medium heat will help the process if needed. Add additional salt at this point.
Plate and serve immediately, and garnish with additional powdered peperoncino.
