Spaghetti aglio e olio is the essence of Italian cuisine: garlic, oil, chili, and little else. Adding an anchovy that melts into the oil multiplies the umami and transforms a humble dish into something memorable, without the fish being obviously noticeable. Fifteen minutes for a pantry-staple dinner that never fails.
Aglio e olio is the Italian midnight pasta: the one you make when you get home at 2 AM hungry and have garlic, oil, and pasta. It’s the simplest recipe in the world — sliced garlic browned in oil over spaghetti — and that's why it's the hardest to nail. Adding anchovies that dissolve in the oil transforms this "survival" pasta into something with real depth: the anchovy's umami adds a background flavor that turns four ingredients into a restaurant-quality dish. It’s subsistence cooking elevated to art.
Ingredients
- 400 g spaghetti (we use Cantabrian Anchovies "0" Gourmet Selection)
- 6 anchovy fillets in EVOO
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 dried chili pepper
- 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
- Plenty of fresh parsley
- Toasted breadcrumbs (pangrattato, optional)
Step-by-step preparation
- Cook the pasta al dente. Reserve 200 ml of the water.
- Sauce: 3 minutes In a large skillet over low heat, warm the oil. Add the sliced garlic and chili. Brown for 2 minutes without burning (light golden, never dark). Add the anchovies and dissolve them by stirring for 1 minute.
- Add the drained pasta and 2-3 ladlefuls of the cooking water. Sauté for 1 minute over high heat, mixing with tongs. The starch from the water emulsifies with the oil, creating a silky sauce that coats every spaghetti strand.
- Plenty of parsley. If you want texture, sprinkle toasted breadcrumbs (pangrattato) on top — it's the "Parmesan of Southern Italy."
The house trick
Burnt garlic is bitter and ruins the entire pasta. The line between perfectly browned and burnt is 10 seconds. Low heat, constant vigilance, and remove the pan from the heat at the first sign that the garlic is getting too dark. And the cooking water is the secret sauce: without it, you have pasta with oil. With it, you have pasta with a creamy emulsion that clings to every noodle.
Buy it at BacalaloCantabrian Anchovies "0" Gourmet Selection€38.90 · 24-48h refrigerated shipping →Frequently asked questions
Is the anchovy taste very noticeable?
Not obviously. As it dissolves in the hot oil, the anchovy provides a salty, umami base that adds depth without a fishy flavor.
Does this dish include cheese?
Traditionally, no. Aglio e olio is served without cheese; a little parsley and toasted breadcrumbs contribute more than Parmesan here.
How do I emulsify the sauce?
Add a ladle of the pasta cooking water to the oil with garlic and anchovy, and vigorously sauté the pasta to combine and make it glossy.
