Boil a large pot of water with enough salt in it. The pasta always needs to be boiled in over salty water, almost salty like a sea. Add spaghetti and start on the pasta while it is boiling.
Heat Olive Oil mildly and add chopped garlic to the same. Gently saute for 2-3 minutes at medium to low heat. Add chilli flakes and then proceed to the next step depending on which one you want to make.
For the Olive Aglio E Olio
Add sliced olives and saute for 2 minutes. Add boiled spaghetti (cook till al dente) along with two ladles of pasta water. The pasta water helps stick the sauce to spaghetti and give it thickness since it has starch in it. Switch off the heat when the sauce is thick, add most of the cheese (reserve some for garnish) and parsley leaves. Serve warm sprinkled with more cheese
For Mushroom Aglio E Olio
Add Mushrooms to the olive oil and saute on high heat for 3-4 minutes till the mushrooms are cooked and brown. Add boiled spaghetti (cook till al dente) along with two ladles of pasta water. The pasta water helps stick the sauce to spaghetti and give it thickness since it has starch in it. Switch off the heat when the sauce is thick, add most of the cheese (reserve some for garnish) and parsley leaves. Serve warm sprinkled with more cheese
For Prawn Aglio E Olio
Add Prawns to the olive oil and cook on high heat for 4-5 minutes till the prawns are cooked and pink. Add boiled spaghetti (cook till al dente) along with two ladles of pasta water. The pasta water helps stick the sauce to spaghetti and give it thickness since it has starch in it. Switch off the heat when the sauce is thick, add most of the cheese (reserve some for garnish) and parsley leaves. Serve warm sprinkled with more cheese
For Bacon Aglio E Olio
In a separate pan, add chopped bacon and fry till they are slightly crisp. Add crisped bacon to the olive oil and garlic. Add boiled spaghetti (cook till al dente) along with two ladles of pasta water. The pasta water helps stick the sauce to spaghetti and give it thickness since it has starch in it. Switch off the heat when the sauce is thick, add most of the cheese (reserve some for garnish) and parsley leaves. Serve warm sprinkled with more cheese