Preparation / Directions:
Put the spaghetti to cook in boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes at a boil.
Take off the heat and allow to stand with the lid on while you prepare the
sauce. The pasta will be ready in about 6-7 minutes from the time you stop
it cooking on the fire.
Peel and crush the garlic with salt until you have coarse puree. Heat the
oil in a pan gently and add the garlic puree to it. Let it warm, but do not let
it fry until it's brown. Depending on how hot you like your spaghetti, split
the chillies and, if you like moderation, get rid of the seeds. The seeds
are quite the hottest part! Rough chop the chilli and add that to the oil and
garlic mixture, turning it until the aromas of both the chilli and the
garlic rise from the oil, but it is not frying hard.
When the spaghetti is al dente, drain it thoroughly and rinse it through
with
a pint of cold water. Put the spaghetti into a bowl, it will still be warm,
and tip over it the garlic, oil and chilli mixture. Turn thoroughly and
serve
immediately. Whether or not to use grated cheese with this is very much a
matter of taste, but I must admit a preference for a little cheese to even
out the pungency of the flavours. Black pepper is always turned fresh out of
the mill liberally over the pasta when it's been served in portions.
This dish has a number of different names in different parts of the area. It
is sometimes known as Zappatora. In other places it's known by a more
descriptive name of Aglio Olio e Pepperocimo. Either way it's very simple,
very, very Italian and very
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