Spaghetti Aglio E Olio

Again, THANK YOU to everyone who sent messages and emails this week. I read each one several times over to ensure I am providing you with information that you want and need. Again, you all wanted time-saving recipes with minimal cleanup. So you ask, and that’s what I’ll deliver! In fact, the recipe this week is so fast and so easy, I thought I would take this time to give my tips on how to get in and out of the grocery store in as little time as possible since so many of you have told me this is a big source of stress and need help to remedy it....

Managing the Grocery

It’s all too common for people to waltz right into their neighborhood supermarket and leave an hour (or more) stressed, over budget, and with a trunk full of food they have no idea how to utilize. I know this feeling all too well because this used to be me too. But, after a few tweaks to my shopping routine, I have managed to get in and out of the store quickly and with my sanity intact. In fact, I now love going grocery shopping. I no longer get overwhelmed at the site of the endless sea of food, but view every piece of produce for what it is: potential for a delicious dinner to create and share with my family. And this is all thanks to planning and organizing.

The most effective thing you can do to buy food as quickly as possible? As elementary as it sounds, it’s all about planning ahead. Planning my grocery trip actually begins a week in advance. I use a spare minute here and there to view the circulars (I will either sign up to receive them in the mail or go online and view them there) to see what will be fresh and on sale for the following week. I use the sale items to comprise an idea for a few different meals. 

After I come up with a few recipes, I write down all the ingredients I will use (again, I never do this all at once, just when I find time over the course of several days) and I cross off anything I may already have. Right before I leave for the store I take my ingredients list and I organize it so I can maneuver through the store with ease. So, know your grocery store layout and the easiest route to take so you can grab everything quickly.  Most of the time, I always snake around to produce first, then the bakery and dairy cases before hitting up the middle aisles. This way I can start at the top of my list and make my way down.

 I’m including a picture of my last list just as an example since so many friends have really liked my method and now use it themselves. Please forgive the all around sloppiness.  (The different colors help me quickly distinguish what product I'm getting at what store. I usually go to multiple stores so I can get the best deal)

Alright, I hope that facilitated your shopping experience. If you have a shopping method you find convenient (or any quick and easy cooking tip of your own), please send me an email at MyDeliciousDiaita@gmail.com or comment below because I would love to know it! Now enough shopping… onto the next recipe installment….

Ah, Pasta Night. Could it get any easier? Grab a box of dry noodles, a jar of sauce, and you have a main dish in minutes. Pasta is an easy go to when I need a speedy, sloppy carb fix. However, with as often as we eat pasta, it’s easy for me to grow tired of the same ol’ red sauce. Luckily, a homemade sauce can be made easily and pretty quickly too. In fact, I always have a couple of bags of frozen sauces in my freezer at any given time because my recipes always make a lot. But, pasta sauces always tend to be tomato heavy and while I love a good marinara, sometimes it is nice to switch it up for something lighter. 

I have so many easy recipes for bulk pasta sauces which I look forward to sharing, but in the spirit of saving time, today is all about Spaghetti Aglio E Olio. “Wait… Spaghetti Agliowhatareyousaying? Spaghetti Aglio E Olio is a traditional Italian dish out of Napoli. And I’m telling you, there is no faster way to eat pasta aside from buying a jar of grocery store sauce. And even then, some of those lids take forever to pry off. 

Whether this is a dinner for the family, a quick lunch, or a midnight meal for one, this pasta will surly satisfy those taste buds. And, chances are you already have every ingredient needed right in your pantry. So… a scratch-made pasta sauce made with minimal ingredients and minimal time?  You’d be crazy to not give this tasty meal a go ASAP. This dish may be my ultimate comfort meal. It is so full of flavor without being too heavy. I eat this meal once, sometimes twice a week if I have enough pasta leftover. In fact, I had been making this dish since I was a pre teen and had no idea I was eating classic Italian fare! And now, so can you!!!

*A few notes before you continue*

SPA is traditionally served with a sprinkle of hard cheese, like parmesan or pecorino, and a dusting of chopped parsley. But, I didn’t have any cheese and if you haven’t noticed yet, I use any chance I can to pack as many fresh greens into my cooking as possible. So I wilted in coarsely chopped spinach.

Usually ingredients like oils can be used interchangeably, but in this particular recipe I really think the distinct flavor of olive oil really shines against the garlic, but coconut oil could work as well.

Spaghetti Aglio E Olio

 Serves: about 6

Time from start to finish: 20 minutes

 Tools Needed:

• A large pot and colander
• A large pan big enough to fit your pasta in (a 13 inch pan works well for me)
• A large knife
• Cutting board

Ingredients:

• One pound of pasta (traditionally spaghetti but as always use whatever you want!)
• 1/3 Cup olive oil
• 4 Tablespoons of minced garlic (more or less depending on preference of course)
• 1 Tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 bunch spinach
• Salt 

Instructions:

 1.  Fill a large pot with water and bring to a rapid boil. Once boiling, add your pasta. After about 5 minutes, test a noodle. You want it to feel almost, but not quite done because it will finish cooking in the sauce. Once it’s done boiling, drain, sprinkle with salt and set it aside but not before saving about one cup of the pasta’s water

* no matter what I am cooking, I make it a habit to reserve some pasta water. The starchy liquid is great for thinning sauce that is seized up without thinning it out too much and not to mention gives great pasta flavor*

*It is always suggested to salt pasta water to the point it tastes like the sea. And while I do this in a professional setting, at home I salt the pasta immediately after draining. I know salt isn’t an expensive ingredient, but I can be frugal and think this method gives the pasta plenty of flavor while using less salt.

 2.  Mince your garlic (just like last week) by smashing the clove with the fattest part of your knife, removing the paper, and running your knife vertically and horizontally

3. Remove the stems from the spinach and roughly chop the leaves. (I like to leave the spinach in pretty big chucks so it maintains some structure after it wilts)

4. In your pan, heat up the olive oil on a medium setting (don’t let it get too hot or the garlic will toast. Unless you want toasted garlic and in that case go for it)

5. Add your minced garlic and keep it moving as it heats

6. Once the garlic is almost done (it will be visibly softer and very aromatic) add the crushed red pepper

7. Now add the pasta, butter, and spinach to the pan and give the entire dish a big stir, coating the noodles in the oil.

8.  At this point, evaluate the pasta. If you think the sauce could be a little more thin, slowly add some of that reserved pasta water until you like the consistency.

9.  salt to your heart’s content

*When I serve the final product I put the noodles in a bowl, add an extra little drizzle of olive oil and a touch of red pepper and it’s done!*

Make It Yours!

- Traditionally, Spaghetti Aglio E Olio is obviously made from spaghetti. But this sauce goes amazingly well with any pasta you choose (I happened to have angel hair on hand when I made it). In an effort to eat a little healthier, a few years ago I switched to whole wheat dried pastas. And now, I prefer the flavor and heartier tooth-feel compared to semolina products. (the flour that is typically used in pasta)  

-And as always, use any greens you like. My favorite way to eat cooked greens is with garlic and red pepper so as you can imagine, any kind would taste great in this recipe. 

-Add some meat! You will quickly notice that I don’t eat meat very often (for a variety of reasons I won’t get in to…yet. ) But rotisserie chicken, chunks of buttered lobster or blackened shrimp would be a perfect topping.

-Don’t be shy! Add as many fresh or frozen veggies that will fit in the pan! I personally love tossing in some zucchini to sauté before I add the cooked pasta. 

Now Go Make Something Delicious!