History of aglio e olio
Spaghetti aglio e olio is a traditional dish of Naples, Italy. Naples is one of the largest cities in Italy which is the birthplace of the Margherita pizza. Aglio e olio means “garlic and oil”. It may seem hard to pronounce, but it’s super easy to make. This dish can be made in about 20 minutes. This is perfect for people who are always on the go!
Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 clove of fresh thinly sliced Garlic (optional)
- 2 fresh thinly sliced Chili (optional)
- 1-2 tablespoons of store-bought ricotta pesto
Using store-bought ricotta pesto will be a no-no for an Italian, but hey, it’s 2021 and this is just another version of spaghetti aglio e olio. Instead of buying an expensive block of parmesan cheese that will most likely expire in your fridge, get a ricotta pesto jar instead. It’s cheap and good and makes this dish sticky.
- 200 grams of spaghetti or capellini noodles
- 2 tablespoons Athena’s Garlic Infused Olive Oil or
- 2 tablespoons Athena’s Chili & garlic Infused olive oil
You may choose to use Athena’s Chili & garlic Infused olive oil if you prefer a mild spicy flavor. If not, you can make do with Athena’s Garlic Infused Olive Oil.
How to make Spaghetti aglio e alio
- Add 200 grams of pasta in a pot of boiling salted water. Follow the instructions on the package. Different pastas have different cooking times. Make sure the noodles are al dente! Set aside some of the pasta water (1/4 cup) and drain the pasta.
- Take another pan, turn on the heat and add 2 tablespoons of Athena’s Garlic Infused Olive Oil or Athena’s Chili & garlic Infused olive oil. If you have thinly sliced garlic and chili, add it in the oil until the garlic is light brown. It’s very easy to burn garlic so pay attention!
- Add 1/4 cup of pasta water and 1-2 tablespoons of the store-bought ricotta pesto and mix everything in the pan.
- Mix in the 200 grams of pasta and toss so that the pasta is evenly coated in the oil and ricotta pesto.
- That’s it! You’re done. Transfer to a plate and garnish with Athena’s Garlic Infused Olive Oil or Athena’s Chili & garlic Infused olive oil and enjoy.
Buon appetito!
Health Benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Athena’s Garlic Infused Olive Oil and Athena’s Chili & garlic Infused olive oil are made with the healthiest form of olive oil which is extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).
It is very high in Vitamin E, has a good amount of Iron, Copper and Calcium.
About seventy-four percent (74% ) of it, is composed of oleic acid which is a type of monosaturated fats. This means, that EVOO is keto friendly because it is high in fat but “good fat” with anti-inflammatory characteristics.
In addition, it has four to six percent (4-6%) carbohydrate content which won’t affect blood sugar levels if intermittent fasting. In fact, it will keep you full longer! Actually for 1 olive fruit, you only get 1.5 grams of carbohydrate which is peanuts.
Olive oil has a huge long list of phytonutrients which give additional healthy benefits such as anti-cancer. It is good for the heart and liver!
Would you be surprised if an olive leaf has antihistamine properties as well? It is good for rhinitis or sinus congestion. Might as well have some olives as a snack than popping in an antihistamine pill.
