Aglio, olio e peperoncino was the first pasta dish I ever cooked—ages ago.
One of the pillars of Italian cuisine, perfect when you’re in a hurry and the fridge is basically empty.
Lately it’s gone viral everywhere (even in Korea), and in this “everyone’s a chef” era we love to make things weird just to impress our followers. So yes—people started baking garlic in the oven, turning it into a silky cream, and calling it a “chef-level” upgrade.
I tried it. And honestly? For me… it doesn’t work.

Here’s why:

1. You lose the punch.
   Turning garlic into a sweet cream kills that sharp, garlicky edge that makes this dish what it is. Garlic cream makes sense in aglio e olio with aglione (it’s a different dish), but not here.
   In true aglio e olio, the “creaminess” comes from emulsifying great extra virgin olive oil with starchy pasta water—not from garlic purée.
2. You lose the main superpower: speed.
   If I have to turn on the oven and wait 40 minutes for garlic confit, I might as well cook something more elaborate.
   So I’m going back to the classic: good oil, real garlic, proper emulsion, and the right heat. Simple. Fast. Perfect.

Ingredients

• 500 g of homemade spaghetti alla chitarra (see pasta making section to make your homemade pasta)
• 140–180 g extra virgin olive oil (about 10–13 tbsp), plus a drizzle to finish (optional)
• 4 large garlic cloves (or 6–8 small), sliced into 1–2 mm thick slices
• 3–4 dried chili peppers (or to taste)
• Salt
• Optional:
  chili pepper threads
  4 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (leaves only)

Directions

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it moderately, and cook the spaghetti until very al dente.
• While the pasta cooks, add the olive oil, garlic slices, and chili to a cold large skillet or sauté pan.
• Set the heat to low and warm the oil gently. You want the garlic to turn very light golden and become fragrant—never dark brown (that tastes bitter).
  As soon as the garlic reaches a pale blonde color, remove the garlic (and the chili if you want more control over the heat).
• When the pasta is 1–2 minutes from being done, reserve at least 2 cups of pasta water.
  Transfer the spaghetti to the skillet (use tongs), add 3–5 ladles of pasta water, and toss vigorously over medium-high heat for 60–90 seconds until the sauce turns glossy and creamy.
• Turn off the heat. Return the garlic slices to the pan (and chili if you like). Add parsley (if using) and toss.
  If needed, add more pasta water to keep the sauce silky. Taste and adjust salt. Drizzle a little fresh EVOO only if you want extra shine and aroma.

Serve adding chili pepper threads on top, it will look more gourmet 😁

Tips for a for a good result

• Don’t brown the garlic. Pale golden is the sweet spot; darker means bitterness.
• The cream is an emulsion. If oil separates, add a splash of pasta water and toss hard.
• Control the heat. Remove the chili early for a cleaner flavor; keep it in for more punch.