Aglio e olio is one of my all time favorite pasta dishes. I make it all the time. Then, one day I thought, wouldn’t it be amazing if I added some sweetness from sautéed shallots and a fresh burst of lemon, and then this dish was born and I can’t stop making it. It adds a whole new dimension of flavor to the classic Italian dish.
Aglio e Olio with Sautéed Shallots and Lemon
February 28, 2024
Persons
4
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Total Time
35 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 4 shallots, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 1 lemon (zest and juice)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
- Salt to taste
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Cook spaghetti in a pot of salted boiling water until slightly less cooked than al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and sauté until softened and slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Sauté for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet along with 1/2 cup of pasta water, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir well to combine, allowing the pasta to finish cooking and absorb the flavors for about a minute.
- Toss in chopped parsley and mix until evenly distributed throughout the spaghetti.
- Plate the spaghetti and sprinkle grated pecorino Romano cheese on top. Add a little extra chopped parsley and lemon zest for garnish.
- Buon appetito!
