Pasta Aglio e Olio

The best pasta for when you have nothing in the fridge. The quality of your olive oil matters more than anything else here.

Method

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until just shy of al dente — it'll finish in the pan.

While the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil over medium-low heat in a wide pan. Add the garlic and cook gently, stirring often, until pale gold — about 5 minutes. Don't let it brown or it'll turn bitter. Add the chilli flakes in the last 30 seconds.

Reserve a mug of pasta water before draining. Add the drained pasta to the pan along with a generous splash of pasta water. Toss vigorously over medium heat until the sauce is silky and coats the pasta.

Off the heat, add most of the parsley and toss again. Season generously.

Serve immediately, topped with the remaining parsley and Parmesan if using.