Let’s prepare the light garlic, oil and chili spaghetti: tasty but digestible and light thanks to a few precautions useful to reduce glycemic impact: cooking al dente and adding the oil raw.
The garlic, oil and chili spaghetti come from the South, specifically Naples, as a poor reinterpretation of spaghetti with clams, so much so that they are also called spaghetti con le vongole fujiute [literally: clams that ran away, i.e. absent].
I make them often.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 6 oz spaghetti
- 2 dried red chilies (whole)
- 4 stems parsley
- 1/2 tsp garlic, oil and chili seasoning mix (dehydrated)
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil (added raw)
- to taste chopped parsley
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns (with grinder)
The mix for garlic, oil and chili spaghetti is a dehydrated blend [ingredients: garlic, chili, salt, parsley] that can become a base for preparing many dishes: always keep some ready in your pantry!
Suggested tools
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Pan nonstick
Preparation
Briefly warm in a nonstick pan:
– a couple of whole dried red chilies [they flavor without releasing too much heat];
– a few parsley stems;
– the garlic, oil and chili seasoning mix;
and turn off the heat.
Heat just enough for the ingredients to release their aromas.
With the heat off, pour a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over the ingredients.Cook the pasta – make sure it’s al dente – rinse it briefly under running water to reduce surface starch and drain it.
Meanwhile, warm the seasoning slightly: the oil should be lukewarm, not frying.
Remove the red chilies and the parsley stems.
Pour the pasta into the pan with the seasoning and mix well to coat and flavor it.Plate it.
Add chopped parsley if you like and grind a little more pepper.Your light garlic, oil and chili spaghetti are ready.
Enjoy your meal!
This is a first course – a source of carbohydrates – easy to balance by adding a protein source and vegetables so as to compose a balanced meal or one-dish plate that helps keep blood sugar stable.
Storage, tips and variations
Storage
Keep cooked pasta refrigerated in a closed container for a maximum of 24 hours.
Reheat in a pan adding a drizzle of oil.
Tips and variations
Use whole-wheat pasta to increase fiber content.
Add a sprinkle of grated lemon zest to the spaghetti.
Add a pinch of saffron to the cooking water.
You can flavor your garlic, oil and chili pasta with one or more ingredients of your choice among:
– a couple of anchovy fillets, well drained;
– a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce;
– a sprinkle of grated cheese;
– a sprinkle of breadcrumbs or toasted whole wheat breadcrumbs.
FAQ – Questions and Answers
Can I use fresh garlic?
Yes, but fresh garlic heated dry without oil risks burning.
This method works better with the dried seasoning mix.
