Spaghetti Aglio E Olio with Shrimp and Garden Fresh Tomatoes

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is “spaghetti with garlic, olive oil and chili peppers”and is sometimes called “Midnight Pasta“. The odds are, you have everything on hand to make this. I decided to add some protein to this quick meal since I had some frozen shrimp on hand. I also added some garden fresh tomatoes. Even without the added shrimp or tomatoes, this pasta is fast and super flavorful.

I’m not sure what’s going on in my head, but it has been hounding me with a pounding headache that won’t go away. My guess is, it’s work-stress related, or I’m fighting off a cold. Sigh. I had all kinds of weekend plans to get into the pre-fall baking mode– I’m long overdue to bake bread.  

It was not to be, as I spent most of the afternoon in a supine position, trying to relax.  But my stomach reminded me that it was hungry.

Headache or not,  I need to eat and my sweet husband has very limited culinary skills  (with the exception of his Weber grilling skills– and he rocks with that). So, when I want to make something fast, it’s usually pasta. I always have pasta on hand, and so I decided to make Ina Garten’s Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, from her cookbook “How Easy Is That?“

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is “spaghetti with garlic, olive oil and chili peppers”and is sometimes called “Midnight Pasta“.  The odds are, you have everything on hand to make this.

You’ll need eight cloves of sliced garlic. The garlic will be slowly, and carefully, sauteed in olive oil, and it will become sweet and flavorful.

Begin by bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook one pound of spaghetti, according to package directions.

In another deep pan, heat 1/3 cup of “good” olive oil  on medium high.  Add the sliced  garlic cloves and very lightly saute until very lightly golden. Add red pepper flakes– I used about 1/2 teaspoon.

When the spaghetti is cooked, save 1-1/2 cups of the pasta water.  How many times have I forgotten to do this?  For insurance, I usually set a cup in the strainer, as a reminder.

This is totally my afterthought–  we have a lot of home grown tomatoes, and I love their sweetness and color.  So, I asked my husband to pick some.

In my freezer, I had some wild shrimp, already de-veined, so I gave them a quick thaw, with water.  Why not add those two ingredients, so we can have a little extra protein?

Cooking shrimp is super easy, as low as you don’t overcook them– or they will feel like rubber. In a separate pan, I heated a little olive oil then cooked the shrimp for a minute, or two, per side– just until they turned pink.

I removed them from the pan, squeezed a little fresh lemon juice on top and set them aside.

Okay, the garlic is tender (and sweet), so I add the reserved pasta water to the pan and bring it to a boil.   I didn’t add extra salt, because I’ve seasoned the pasta well enough–and I’m going to be adding Parmesan cheese.

The liquid has reduced to about 1/3 (five minutes), and now I the drained pasta and begin tossing.

Add one cup of fresh Parmesan and fresh chopped Italian parsley.  Pretty.  On a whim, I added some lemon zest to the pasta, to complement the shrimp.

TASTING NOTES:  Yum. Mmmm. Delicious.  The garlic is sweet, and not overpowering.  This satisfies my need for food, and my husband loves it, as well. This is super fast, and easy fast dinner for those nights when you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.  Love this!  I think that, if you make this once, you really don’t need a recipe. Super Easy,  Super Delicious!

How easy is that?!

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Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is “spaghetti with garlic, olive oil and chili peppers”and is sometimes called “Midnight Pasta“. The odds are, you have everything on hand to make this. I decided to add some protein to this quick meal since I had some frozen shrimp on hand. I also added some garden fresh tomatoes. Even without the added shrimp or tomatoes, this pasta is fast and super flavorful.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time12 minutes mins

Total Time27 minutes mins

Course: main

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Pasta, Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Debby – www.AFeastfortheEyes.net

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried spaghetti such as DeCecco
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 8 large garlic cloves cut into thin slivers
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving

Optional Additional Ingredients:

• 12 large shrimp deveined (or scallops)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

  Add 2 tablespoons of salt and the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water before you drain the pasta.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a pot large enough to hold the pasta, such as a 12-inch saute pan or a large, shallow pot.

  Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until it just begins to turn golden on the edges-don't overcook it!

  Add the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds more.

  Carefully add the reserved pasta-cooking water to the garlic and oil and bring to a boil.

  Lower the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by about a third.
• Add the drained pasta to the garlic sauce and toss.

  Off the heat, add the parsley and Parmesan and toss well.

  Allow the pasta to rest off the heat for 5 minutes for the sauce to be absorbed. T

  aste for seasoning and serve warm with extra Parmesan on the side.

For the shrimp:

• In a separate pan, heat some olive oil. Saute the shrimp until it has just turned pink– about 3 minutes. Set aside.

  Saute the tomatoes in the oil until they being to soften and "pop".

  Add to the finished pasta.

Tried this recipe?Mention @afeastfortheeyes or tag #afeastfortheeyesblog!

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