Translation: spaghetti with garlic, oil, and chili pepper flakes. Sounds simple, right? It is! And it's so, so delicious. It's the kind of meal that makes you stop and think that the simplest foods are often the most wonderful. With only a few ingredients that are staples in most pantries, you can create a beautiful, flavorful, heartwarming meal from scratch.

Spaghetti aglio, olio, e peperoncino is a traditional Italian pasta dish. It's well-loved by many because it's so easy and inexpensive to make. This is a perfect solution whenever you're in a bind or just don't feel like cooking a big meal.

It packs quite a kick from the minced garlic and chili pepper flakes.

The pasta is the real star of this meal, as it's not drenched in heavy, overbearing sauce. Because of this, it's really important to make sure you cook the pasta al dente (meaning it's still firm when bitten). In some instances, you can get away with overcooking your spaghetti, but this is not one of them. A good, flavorful extra-virgin olive oil is also essential, as is mincing the garlic finely enough to avoid eating any big spicy chunks.

Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, e Peperoncino From POPSUGAR Food Ingredients 7 ounces spaghetti

2 large or 3 small garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons of chili pepper flakes

1/4 to 1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper Directions Cook spaghetti according to the directions on the package, until it is al dente. Strain spaghetti and place in a large serving dish. Add minced garlic, chili pepper flakes, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and mix together well. Serve warm or at room temperature. Information Category Pasta, Main Dishes Cuisine North American Yield Serves 2 to 4

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