Quick and Easy Aglio e Olio

I love cooking, but with college in the way, it’s not easy to set a good chunk of time to spend in the kitchen. So I’ve been thinking of recipes that would allow students like me to make a good, pretty hardy home-made meal without spending too much time, money, or energy.

Aglio e Olio is a very simple spaghetti/pasta dish that only took me 15 minutes on my first try!

You’ll need:

1/2 pound uncooked spaghetti (I used penne here)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp red chili flakes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
(Optional) 1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Bring medium-sized pot of lightly salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to directions on the package (usually 8-10 minutes). When the pasta is thoroughly cooked through, drain water and transfer to serving bowl.

2) Add minced garlic, red chili flakes, chopped parsley, olive oil, and cheese mix together well. Season with salt and pepper.

You’re done! It’s that easy, and it’s a great meal you can pack for class or breaks in between.

-Carolyn Koh