Cooking at Home: Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Roma Tomatoes and Spinach

with Chef Robert Larios
Photography by Patricia M. Larios

Aglio e olio means garlic and oil in Italian. What other words sound as delicious? Aglio e olio is a favorite of chefs. This recipe is easy to make and has many possibilities for adaptable variations. Although this is primarily a vegetarian dish, you may add a protein of your choice such as chicken, seafood, beef, etc.

¡Buen provecho!

RECIPE: Cooking at Home

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio: Roma Tomatoes and Spinach

Yields4 Servings

 1 lb dried spaghetti
 1 lb Roma tomatoes, quartered (about 2 pints)
 2 lemons, zested
 10 cloves
 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
 2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
 ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
 1 bunch spinach, leaves only, washed and chopped
 black pepper
  Parmesan cheese (ideally Parmigiano-Reggiano) for serving

1

Step One
Bring just more than 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of sea salt. Carefully add the boiling water to the pan with the spaghetti. Cover pan, and bring up to a boil. Remove lid and simmer for about 6 minutes, using tongs to move the spaghetti around now and then so it doesn’t stick. Then strain pasta to remove water.

2

Step Two
Meanwhile, in a shallow pan, place tomatoes, lemon zest, oil, sea salt and black pepper to taste, in a large, dry, large shallow pan or large pot. In medium high heat, add extra virgin olive oil, then tomatoes and lemon zest as well as the juice of the lemon. Occasionally, stir. Add spinach, mix until wilted.

3

Step Three
Add spinach, mix until wilted.

4

Step Four
Combine spaghetti with the tomato-spinach mixture. Mix gently. Top with Parmesan.

5

Enjoy!

Ingredients

 1 lb dried spaghetti
 1 lb Roma tomatoes, quartered (about 2 pints)
 2 lemons, zested
 10 cloves
 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
 2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
 ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
 1 bunch spinach, leaves only, washed and chopped
 black pepper
  Parmesan cheese (ideally Parmigiano-Reggiano) for serving

Directions

1

Step One
Bring just more than 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of sea salt. Carefully add the boiling water to the pan with the spaghetti. Cover pan, and bring up to a boil. Remove lid and simmer for about 6 minutes, using tongs to move the spaghetti around now and then so it doesn’t stick. Then strain pasta to remove water.

2

Step Two
Meanwhile, in a shallow pan, place tomatoes, lemon zest, oil, sea salt and black pepper to taste, in a large, dry, large shallow pan or large pot. In medium high heat, add extra virgin olive oil, then tomatoes and lemon zest as well as the juice of the lemon. Occasionally, stir. Add spinach, mix until wilted.

3

Step Three
Add spinach, mix until wilted.

4

Step Four
Combine spaghetti with the tomato-spinach mixture. Mix gently. Top with Parmesan.

5

Enjoy!

Notes

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio: Roma Tomatoes and Spinach
IngredientsDirections

Cooking TIDBIT

You may use kale instead of spinach. Additionally, flavor can be imparted when
using red chili pepper flakes as well as basil.

Food Quote: “I made lemon spaghetti in an early season of Everyday Italian, and to this day people still come up to me and say they love it. It’s very, very simple. Basically, you cook the pasta and mix together Parmesan cheese, olive oil, lemon juice and zest and pour it over the pasta.”

– Giada De Laurentiis

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