Pasta - Aglio Olio (Simply with Garlic, Olive Oil and Chilli)

After all the complicated dishes, I've decided to go back to basics. Learning how to make a simple but mean Aglio Olio. I realize that there are folks out there who actually like Aglio Olio and seemed to think that this is one complicated dish. Aglio literally means Garlic and Olio..yup Olive Oil. I've got a friend in Melbourne who tried it prior to my intervention without much success. He said he tried doing it sometime back but it's different from the ones i cook...something's missing! Not as flavorful..missing the essence!

So yes we know the ingredients are simple: Pasta, Olive Oil, garlic, chilli...what else? How much harder can it get? And what is the essence of Aglio Oli..Really..Olive Oil and Garlic but you need to get the 2 ingredients to really  marry into each other! Hmmmm...the trick here is not the ingredients, it's in the technique! So let's get started.

Ingredients:
- Pasta of course: Spaghetti, Fettucini, Angel hair etc whatever you wish but just remember that as the pasta gets fatter, it does take longer to cook.
- Olive Oil (About 1 and half cup)
- Garlic (Tonnes of it...to be slightly more precise i use about 4-5 tablespoon full of chopped garlic)
- 3 chilli padi (finely sliced)
- A handful of Italian Parsley (Optional). Dried parsley flakes will do as well.
- Salt and pepper

Optional Variations:
- Prawns: Seasoned with grounded black pepper and some light soya sauce OR
- Bacon

Cooking:
1) Prepare the pasta ahead of time. Remember to add about a table spoon of salt to the pot of water and some olive oil when you're boiling the pasta. It should take about 6 mins for spaghetti and slightly longer for Fettucini. Once again, try it as you cook to make sure it's just right ie AL DENTE! (Which means just slightly before fully cooked)
Note: It is important to stir the pasta as it is cooking to prevent it from clumping together.
2) Strain the pasta and run over cold water to prevent it from cooking further. Set this aside.
3) Pour the Olive oil into a frying pan and throw in the chopped garlic. HERE'S THE SECRET!.....ready?
- Keep it at mid-low heat. You need to literally boil the garlic in the olive oil slowly to let the flavors infuse the oil!! This will take a while so be patient!
4) Throw in the parsley flakes or fresh italian parsley and chilli padi
Optionals:
5) Throw in the prawns or bacon at this stage depending on which variation you're doing. Stir well.
6) Throw in the pasta which you have set aside. Stir fry and add salt and pepper to taste. It is important to get it to the right level of saltiness. So once gain....TASTE, TASTE, TASTE!! NEVER add too much one shot.

I've done a Prawn variation with Fettucini here! 

Voila! You're done! 15mins tops!