Fiery Penne Aglio e Olio
This big pan of penne fills me with so much comfort ~ nothing beats pasta! That's why my garlic & olive oil sauce simply coats the penne without overpowering its wonderful taste & texture. I've mixed my recipe up a little with a few extras as this big batch was for a party ~ a chilled pasta 'salad' with bulky add-ins to make it stretch further! But if time isn't on your side & your fridge is looking a bit bare, a bowl of spaghetti aglio e olio is always a crowd-pleaser.
Penne Aglio e Olio
Serves: 4 bowls
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 15-20 mins
Ingredients:
320g wholemeal pasta (I used gf penne)
glug extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 red chilli
200g chickpeas, drained (but not rinsed!)
6-8 baby new potatoes
95g fresh green pitted olives
6 large cherry tomatoes
50g baby spinach
large handful fresh basil
large handful fresh parsley
1/2 lemon squeezed & zested
splash Tabasco
1tsp chilli flakes
1tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
seasoning
Method:
First, boil the baby potatoes for 15 minutes until tender. Drain & rinse with cold water then halve. With the flesh side facing upwards, sprinkle the potatoes with salt & pepper & leave to cool.
Next, boil the pasta in 1.7l salted water for around 9-10 minutes or until al dente & save around 3tbsp of the water. Drain but don't rinse with boiling water ~ the stickiness of the freshly cooked pasta will better allow the oil to coat.
While the pasta is cooking, prep! Finely chop the chilli & fresh herbs then juice & zest the half lemon.
Now, on a low-medium heat, pour a generous glug of extra virgin olive oil into a large pan (the oil should just about coat the bottom... you can always add more!). Once warmed, add the chopped chilli & stir for around 1 minute. Throw in the garlic & keep on stirring for another minute (make sure the garlic is just about golden but burnt ~ this will leave a bitter taste).
Throw in the potatoes, chickpeas, olives, tomatoes, fresh herbs, spinach, lemon, Tabasco & saved pasta water. Increase to a medium heat & keep on mixing for 2-3 minutes.
Once combined & fragrant, stir in the drained pasta along with the chilli flakes, dried herbs & seasoning.
Turn off the heat & mix until the pasta is coated. Serve with fresh basil & a sprinkling of chilli flakes.
