Peperoncino (Garlic and Chili Spaghetti)

Name: Peperoncino (Garlic and Chili Spaghetti)
Total time: 20 min
Yield: Serves 2
Ingredients: Spaghetti (1.6–1.7 mm thick) 200g; Garlic 2 cloves; Water 2L; Salt 1 tbsp + a pinch; Olive oil (vegetable oil is OK) 3 tbsp; Sliced dried red chili A pinch (10–15 slices); Dried parsley A pinch

🌱 VeganNo meat, fish, eggs, dairy, honey or bonito dashi

Serves 2 · About 20 min
Garlic and red chili flavor olive oil, which you mix with pasta water and toss with spaghetti. With so few ingredients, the key is warming the garlic slowly over low heat.

① Boil water and cut the garlic→② Boil the spaghetti→③ Warm the garlic over low heat→④ Make the sauce with pasta water→⑤ Toss with the pasta

What to buy

Dry pasta & vegetables

Spaghetti (1.6–1.7 mm thick)200gGarlicUse fresh garlic, not tube paste2 cloves

Check what you already have

WaterFor boiling the spaghetti2LSaltFor boiling + to add after tasting1 tbsp + a pinchOlive oil (vegetable oil is OK)Olive oil gives the best flavor3 tbspSliced dried red chiliUse less if you don't like spicy food. You can make it withoutA pinch (10–15 slices)Dried parsleyOptionalA pinch

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How to make it

Boil water and cut the garlic

High heat (for the water)About 10 min

Put 2 L water in a large pot, cover with a lid and put on high heat
Peel each garlic clove and cut off the hard root end
Cut in half lengthwise. If there's a green sprout in the middle, remove it with the tip of the knife (it burns easily and turns bitter)
Put it cut-side down on the cutting board and slice thinly, about 2 mm

How to tell it's doneThe garlic is cut into thin slices of about the same thickness.

Be carefulGarlic is small and slippery. Put it cut-side down, curl the fingertips of the hand holding it, and don't bring them too close to the blade.

Boil the spaghetti

Medium heat1 min less than the bag says

When it boils, add 1 tbsp salt, put in the spaghetti spread out like a fan, and loosen with chopsticks
Keep the heat at medium so it doesn't boil over, and cook 1 min less than the package says (because you'll finish it in the frying pan later)
While it cooks, go to step 3

How to tell it's doneEat 1 strand: there is still a tiny bit of firmness in the middle.

Be carefulThe pot of boiling pasta is hot. When stirring with cooking chopsticks, don't let your arm touch the edge of the pot.

Warm the garlic over low heat

Low heatAbout 4 min

Put 3 tbsp olive oil and the garlic in the frying pan first, then turn on low heat (garlic burns right away in a hot pan)
Tilt the pan a little toward you and soak the garlic in the pool of oil
When small fizzy bubbles come up and the edges of the garlic turn light golden brown, turn off the heat
With the heat still off, add the sliced red chili (the leftover heat brings out the flavor)

How to tell it's doneThe edges of the garlic are light golden brown, and the kitchen smells of garlic.

Be carefulIf you cook it until brown, it turns bitter. As soon as it starts to color, turn off the heat.

Be carefulWhen tilting the pan, hold the handle firmly. Spilled oil can burn you.

Make the sauce with pasta water

Heat off → Medium heatAbout 1 min

Just before the pasta is done, with the heat off under the frying pan, add 1 ladleful (about 60 ml) of pasta water from the pot
Turn to medium heat and shake the pan back and forth while mixing the oil and pasta water well with cooking chopsticks

How to tell it's doneThe oil and water don't separate, and the sauce is cloudy white and a little thick.

Be carefulAdding pasta water makes the oil splatter. Always turn off the heat first, then pour it in gently from the edge of the pan.

Toss with the pasta

Medium heatAbout 1 min

Drain the spaghetti in a colander and put it into the frying pan right away
Over medium heat, mix for 30 sec–1 min, lifting everything up with tongs
Taste, and if it's bland, add a pinch of salt. If there's not enough sauce, add 1–2 tbsp pasta water
Put on a plate, and sprinkle with dried parsley if you like

ReadyAll the pasta is glossy, and no oil is left separated at the bottom of the pan.

📚 Learn more about this dish

🥬 Ingredient guide

Ninniku (garlic)

🔪 Cutting & cooking tips

Boiling Heat levels (high, medium, low)Hitotsumami & shoushou (a pinch)Kitsune-iro (golden brown)Wa-giri (rounds)

If it didn't work out

The garlic burned and tastes bitterThe heat was too high in step 3, or you heated it too long. Next time, put the oil and garlic in a cold pan before turning on low heat, and turn off the heat when it's light golden brown.

It's oily and the sauce doesn't coat the pastaThe oil and pasta water didn't mix in step 4. Shake the pan and mix until it turns cloudy white. Adding 2 tbsp pasta water helps it come together.

The flavor is weakIf there's too little salt in the boiling water, salt added later doesn't blend in well. This time, add a pinch of salt at a time and mix. Next time, measure 1 tbsp salt properly.

Too saltyYou added too much pasta water. Next time, start with half a ladleful in step 4.

Too spicyToo much red chili, or it was on the heat too long. Next time, use about 5 slices of chili and add it after turning off the heat.

The noodles are too softYou cooked it the full time on the package in step 2, and it cooked more in the frying pan. Next time, cook 1 min less than the package says.

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Made by YUU, a teen who loves cooking → About me