Midnight Pasta

The Story

Every cook needs a midnight pasta in their back pocket. This is the one you make when you roll in late from a summer party, a bit peckish, maybe a little tipsy, and you just need something hot, delicious, and ready in the time it takes to boil water. It's the classic aglio e olio — garlic, oil, chilli, parsley — but we've added a bit of parmesan for extra richness.

The beauty of this dish is its simplicity. You don't need a fully stocked fridge, just a few pantry staples and some fresh garlic. Get the pan nice and hot, let that garlic sizzle but not burn, and toss it all together with pasta water to create a silky sauce. It's one of those recipes that feels like pure magic every single time.

Ingredients

• 100g spaghetti
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 small red chilli, finely chopped (or ½ teaspoon chilli flakes)
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Small handful fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
• Salt

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti according to packet directions until al dente. Reserve a mugful of pasta water before draining.
2. While the pasta's cooking, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook gently for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and just starting to turn golden — don't let it brown or it'll be bitter.
3. Add the chilli and cook for another 30 seconds, then remove the pan from the heat.
4. When the pasta is ready, use tongs to transfer it straight from the pot into the frying pan (a bit of pasta water clinging to it is perfect).
5. Add a good splash of the reserved pasta water — about ¼ cup — and toss everything together over low heat. The starch in the water will help emulsify the oil into a silky sauce.
6. Add the chopped parsley and parmesan, toss again until well combined, and season with salt to taste. If it looks dry, add a bit more pasta water.

Nutrition Information

Per serving: