I love Italian cooking for its simplicity in ingredients, ease of preparation, and mouth-watering flavors. It’s almost always possible to find vegetarian options at Italian restaurants, too, which is an added bonus. If we weren’t in quarantine, I’d have tried to replicate a dish I had in Firenze (Florence)—these gorgeous gnudi (basically ricotta dumplings)—but, that requires finding high-quality ricotta, semolina flour, and a lot of patience, which just wasn’t possible. So, the gnudi will have to wait until next time. I think the dish I ultimately chose, which is made with dry pasta and common ingredients, will be especially approachable for those following along at home.

Pasta all’aglio e olio is especially convenient for the quarantine because it calls for few ingredients; it’s forgiving and quick to throw together; and it results in an incredibly tasty meal. When I’m cooking for friends in a rush, or teaching someone with little cooking experience, this is one of my go-to dishes. It’s easy to scale portions up or down, and the proportions of ingredients are not crucial and can easily be adjusted to taste.

The history of aglio e olio is somewhat murky. We know it originated in Naples; some speculate that it originated as a less-expensive alternative to linguine with white clams, a popular Neapolitan dish that has similar ingredients. In fact, a lot of vegetarian dishes in various cuisines came about in a similar manner, i.e. as substitutes for meat dishes that would otherwise be too expensive to afford. Regardless of its origins, aglio e olio is now an extremely popular dish across Italy and abroad.

Though this dish is typically made with spaghetti, I prefer to make it with linguine, which is essentially partially-flattened spaghetti originating in Liguria (in northwest Italy) whose name literally translates as “little tongues.” The flatter profile of linguine provides a larger surface area for the oil to cling to and for taste buds to sample. I have not seen many recipes online that call for linguine, but apparently Jeanne Caròla Francesconi used it, so I’m in good company!

Traditionally, aglio e olio is made with parsley and pepper, usually pepperoncino (red chili) flakes. Though it’s a simple dish, variations do exist; in Italy, for example, the garlic is sometimes sliced into larger pieces and removed from the oil before incorporating the pasta into the sauce; it can also be diced or minced. I like to slice it thinly and leave it in. Most recipes brown the garlic, making it bitter; when cooked more carefully, though, it becomes a smooth, sweet-and-savory treat, a fitting contrast to al-dente pasta. I’ve also added fresh lemon juice to my recipe, which brightens the dish and helps lighten the weight of the olive oil.

The recipe and its execution is quite simple; the only challenge is incorporating the oil with the pasta so it clings to each noodle and doesn’t just sit in a puddle. Good recipes call for using starchy pasta water to thicken the sauce; I actually use propylene glycol alginate, an emulsifier derived from algae, in addition. I’ve made this dish quite a few times before, but in developing this recipe, I think I’ve made my best version yet. I hope those who try it agree that it is absolutely divine!