The Naples classic of spaghetti all'aglio, olio, e peperoncino—spaghetti tossed with extra-virgin olive oil in which a bit of garlic and red chili pepper (either dried or fresh) have been sautéed—is one of the simplest, quickest, and yet most satisfying pasta dishes of all. It takes no more than about 15 minutes to make, including boiling the pasta water, so it's great when you're pressed for time, or for a late-night snack to close out an evening.

The most basic version contains only pasta, olive oil, chili pepper, garlic, and salt—things that most people will always have on hand in their pantry—but optional ingredients include fresh flat-leaf parsley and breadcrumbs.

American versions of this dish tend to use far more garlic than is used in Italy—often twice as much—and in fact, some Italians will even cut the garlic into large slices, sauté them in the oil to flavor it, and then remove and discard the garlic slices before mixing the oil with the pasta. Feel free to adjust the amounts of garlic and pepper to suit your personal taste.