Tuesday 12 April 2022

Stanley Tucci cooks spaghetti aglio e olio


This was the first authentic Pasta dish I'd ever eaten. It was cooked for me by a lovely Italian (Roman) beauty, at my flat in London's Fulham around 1966. It was the first time I'd eaten Spaghetti that wasn't SMOTHERED in overbearing tomato sauce. I had only visited Italy once, and, bizarrely had almost exclusively eaten VEAL; but that was in the North.

I seem to remember that the lovely Natacha added a small amount of Chicken Stock Cube to the slowly simmering Garlic/Oil, as well as some chopped Parsley and a tiny pinch of hot dried chilli flakes. She also DID serve it with grated Parmesan. It is said that every Italian cook will omit one important ingredient when they give you their 'secret recipe'. So who knows!

I was reliably informed that after a night out drinking with friends, they would always return to someone's house and prepare this dish before heading for their own homes, and bed.

Try it (if you haven't already). When made correctly it's hauntingly delicious, simple, and cheap. You need to like Garlic, and you will also need plenty of red wine! Here is Tucci showing you how it's done.


23 comments:

  1. Funny. When I watched it, I was thinking, 'That's it? That's all the garlic he's using for all that pasta?

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    1. It doesn't become very 'garlicy', it just gives a very pleasant aroma/flavour to the pasta. Personally I would have used more garlic.

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  2. Oil, garlic, pasta. What could be simpler? The sprinkled paprika was a surprise.

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  3. Replies
    1. I agree. I've made this several times, and it definitely needs a lot more garlic.

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  4. The simple sauces are always the best ….. I love pasta. XXXX

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  5. I knew I'd seen him on TV. He's Julia Child's husband in the film Julia and Julie. Excellent actor and presenter. His YouTube cooking videos are well done be too. No faffle, a few laughs and good food.
    I'm going to try this.

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    1. I've only just discovered him; I don't think I've seen any of his films. He's a pleasant character, and has none of the usual airs and graces.

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  6. I think I can just about remember that recipe.

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  7. The garlic seems to complicate things. I would just go for the spaghetti on its own. I wonder if Stanley has a recipe for that.

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  8. Now that is an easy recipe! Using a bit of the pasta water is a new one for me. Surely a person needs some freshly grated parmesan cheese once it hits the plate-don't they?

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    1. I would have thought so Melinda, as did the lovely Natacha. I believe the only time you don't use Parmesan with Pasta, is when you have a fish based sauce; tuna, etc.

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  9. All that garlic, isn't it good for the heart? But perhaps not so much for the breath!

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    1. When it's cooked like that, or roasted even, it doesn't leave that pungent smell on the breath. Just a pleasant 'perfume'.

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  10. I only recently learned to use pasta water in sauce. Wonderful.

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  11. It looks delicious and anything with lots of garlic is really enjoyed. I'd use 3X the garlic. A nice glass of wine and crusty bread with a salad on the side would be wonderful.

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    1. Our Sunday Roasts are always surrounded by plenty of Garlic, and I think they're the best bit!

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  12. Son found a recipe for a tomato sauce that is perfect only 3 or 4 ingredients. So perfect.
    It was an Italian Grandmas recipe! We love it.

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    1. My standard involves Tomatoes, Capers, Olive oil, and Salt. And not too much of it.

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