La Lama Mountain Ovens
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Family Secrets

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The best of the recipes, techniques, and methods practiced by our large extended Italian-American family - with emphasis on the legacy handed down to us by the original immigrants.

This is a cookbook-in-process project. If you try any of these recipes please let us know how they turn out, whether or not you had any difficulties, and any clarifying improvements you might recommend to make them foolproof. We will of course acknowledge genuine "test-kitchen" assistance.

Family Secrets #51

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
(with Garlic and Oil)

By CeCe Dove, La Lama Mountain Ovens

After more than 30 years of marriage my husband has finally reconciled himself to the fact that I will never serve this dish to company that I don’t know very very well. It is one of his favorite ways of eating pasta, and while I enjoy it every bit as much as he, I grew up thinking of this dish as something we ate when money was tight or time was short or when Mama simply ran out of energy. Looking back I can see that this is a perfect example of cucina rustica, i.e., simple family food made for the enjoyment of the moment without pretensions. It is delicious, inexpensive, quick to prepare and perfectly suitable for a friendly, informal meal.

Mom never made this dish with homemade spaghetti, although she did buy the best dried pasta she could find. I suppose there is no logical reason not to use homemade pasta, and in retrospect she probably didn’t simply because she only used this dish for quick and easy family suppers.

Whether you opt to serve only family and close friends or extend this treat to anyone else is certainly up to you, but please do use the best olive oil you can afford, and buy a good brand of dried pasta. Our preference over the years has been DeCecco, and we regularly stock our pantry with their rigatoni, ziti and other shapes that are too difficult to make by hand. This dish is always made with long pasta, such as spaghetti or linguine.

The classic preparation of this dish is simply with olive oil and garlic, then dusted with paprika. However, I have included two options. The first is a handful of finely chopped parsley or any other fresh green herb you might like. Because we grow a lot of herbs I will often add in a tablespoon or so of mixed herbs such as oregano with parsley. Dried herbs are not appropriate for this recipe. The second option is red pepper flakes. Because we live in the southwest we seem to have developed a taste for spicing up our food a bit. Adding a teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes to the oil gives a nice little bite. Alternatively you can simply put the red pepper on the table for those who would like it.

How you handle the garlic is another optional matter. If you prefer a more delicate taste, then you would sliver the garlic and remove it from the oil when it is just golden. If you like a lustier taste, then you should very finely mince the garlic and leave it in the oil. In either case, under no circumstances should the garlic be allowed to turn dark brown or black, as this will result in a bitter, unpleasant dish.

As to the tongue twister name, while some dialects have more syllables, in our family we pronounce it eye-oi. Restaurant waiters, if not raised traditional Italian, often have some very creative pronunciations.

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Serves four

• 1 lb. dried long pasta

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 4 medium garlic cloves

• Paprika

• 1 tsp. salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Red pepper flakes (optional)

• 1 or 2 Tblsp. minced fresh herbs such as parsley, fresh oregano or a mixture (optional)

• Freshly grated Parmesan (pass separately)

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the pasta al dente and drain, saving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. While the pasta is cooking, gently warm the olive oil in a large sauté pan, add the garlic either slivered or minced and heat just until the garlic turns golden. If you are using the red pepper flakes, add them here. Remove garlic or not according to your taste. Set oil aside until pasta is drained. Place oil back on medium low flame and toss pasta, in the sauté pan, with salt until well coated. If the pasta seems dry add dribbles of the pasta water. Add herbs and just heat through. Serve immediately with a good grind of black pepper, and pass the grated cheese at table. I also like to have a cruet of olive oil on the table so diners may add a drizzle if they wish.

Altitude Adjustment: Cooking pasta at elevations over 2500 feet requires lots of water and some patience as it will take longer, since water boils at a lower temperature. Do not make the mistake of covering the pot. Keep the flame high and start testing at about 12 minutes.