Spaghetti Aglio e Olio Recipe With Chef Thomas Keller

Watch Chef Keller demonstrate how to make this dish here.

• 60 grams dried spaghetti alla chitarra*
• 20 grams garlic confit, puréed
• 20 grams garlic confit cloves (6–8 medium cloves garlic)
• 1 pinch Italian parsley, émincer
• Extra virgin olive oil with a spicy flavor profile
• 1 lemon
• 1 piece bottarga di muggine
• Kosher salt

*Learn how to make fresh spaghetti alla chitarra here. If you don’t have homemade spaghetti, you can use store-bought spaghetti. Just note that it will take longer to cook.

Equipment

• 7-quart pasta pentola, water brought to a boil
• 2-quart saucier
• Ladle
• Pasta fork
• Microplane
• Serving bowl

1. 1

   Bring water to a simmer in the pasta pentola and lightly season the water with salt. Take care not to over-season the water, as the water will form the basis of the sauce. Blanch the dried pasta for a few minutes until the pasta bends but is still very al dente.

2. 2

   Note: When you cook freshly-made spaghetti, the cook time will be much lower than when you cook store-bought dried spaghetti. You should only need to let it cook for a few minutes. Make sure to taste for doneness as it cooks.

3. 3

   Lift the pasta from the water using the strainer basket and transfer to the saucier. Ladle enough of the pasta water to cover the spaghetti and bring the liquid to a simmer.

4. 4

   Spoon in the garlic confit purée and stir with the pasta fork to evenly distribute it. Continue to cook the pasta to glaze it in the liquid to sauce consistency. Taste the pasta for doneness. If it requires more time, add more pasta water and continue to cook.

5. 5

   Once the pasta is cooked to your liking, add the confit garlic cloves and heat through. Finish by drizzling in extra virgin olive oil and sprinkling in the parsley.

6. 6

   To serve, twist the pasta on the pasta fork and transfer to the serving dish. Spoon the remaining garlic cloves and sauce over the noodles.

7. 7

   Finish the dish with more extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, and grated bottarga. (Note: If you cannot source bottarga, the dish is beautiful with only the garlic confit and lemon zest to finish.)