This is my New World take on Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, the legendary pasta dish! <br /> <br />A few years ago, my husband and I savored a plate of Spaghetti Aglio e Olio while dining in the equally legendary Venetian restaurant, Locanda Montin. The dish was so simple: no parsley or cheese thrown on top. The pasta was tossed with fruity olive oil, garlic (loads of it), red pepper flakes and salt – nothing more. We ordered a bowl to share. Within 5 minutes we’d devoured every strand of spaghetti, so we ordered a second bowl. When our server came around to see if we wanted to order dessert, we ordered a third bowl! <br /> <br />Needless to say, we’ve never forgotten the experience or the taste. <br /> <br />This New World version of Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is as simple as the original, but it’s spiced-up with jalapeño peppers instead of red pepper flakes. As the jalapeños pan-fry, they become mellow, smoky, sweet; infusing the oil and the pasta with all their spunkiness. <br /> <br />A word of warning, make sure to test your jalapeños before you make this recipe (taste the tip of one pepper and it’ll give you an idea of its strength). I find most commercial jalapeños fairly mild, but now and then you come across some that are quite fiery! <br /> <br />So here’s to Spaghetti Aglio e Olio’s new incarnation – a bowl of pasta that might be zen-like, but that is undoubtedly memorable.

Share: