Why This Works Without Smell
When I was bed-bound with COVID for the second time, I lost my sense of smell completely. Coffee tasted of slightly bitter water, eating a cheese sandwich was an exercise in chewing and swallowing and bananas were just mushy and slightly sweet.
Then one evening, my wife made spaghetti aglio e olio, a classic Italian dish that highlights the beauty of simplicity and the importance of the fundamental tastes.
It was a revelation. For the first time in days, I realised that I could still appreciate food. The saltiness of the pasta water, the sweetness of the garlic, the heat of the chilli flakes, the sourness of the lemon juice and the umami of the parmesan cheese (optional) all combined to create a dish that was both comforting and delicious.
This is the dish, above all others, that I turn to midweek if I need a little pick-me-up and to bring back some enjoyment to eating.
Ingredients
- 200g spaghetti
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes (or more, to taste)
- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Handful of chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
Method
1. Cook the spaghetti
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. There's a tradition that the water should be as salty as the mediterranean sea, but you don't need to go that far, just be aware that most of the salt you taste will be comoing from the cooking water. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente or slightly undercooked.
2. Make the sauce
While the spaghetti is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook until the garlic is softened and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic. When it is starting to turn golden, carefully add a splash of water from the pasta pan to slow the frying down. This also makes the garlic softer and easier to blend into the final sauce.
3. Combine
Drain the spaghetti, reserving a small amount of pasta water. Add the spaghetti to the pan with the garlic and chilli flakes and turn the heat back on if you have turned it off. Add the lemon juice and parsley and toss to combine. Give it some energy when stirring to help the sauce emulsify. If the pasta seems dry, add a splash of pasta water to loosen it up. You want it to look slightly shiny with the garlicky, lemony oil.
4. Serve
Serve immediately, topped with grated parmesan cheese if desired. Oh, and don't forget to season with pepper, for that hint of bitterness.
Tips
This really is so easy - don't overthink it. The most important thing is to get the pasta water salty enough and to not burn the garlic.
This is a great recipe to experiment with - add more chilli flakes if you like heat, more lemon juice if you like sourness, more parsley if you like freshness.