I haven't been blogging since like forever. I have so much to write about but as soon as I hit home everyday, I struggled for that 'extra' time to indulge myself... dishes, laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc etc will always be there for me... day in day out. Having a live in maid is a no-no for me..... though house chores can be very extremely tiring and challenging at times.
But hey, no worries, I will be at home for 2 weeks so I will have a whole load of 'extra' time and I think I can spare some on updating my blog.
Today, I want to share one of my favorite recipes .. Aglio e Olio Pasta. I've tried so many times to find the perfect recipe, but to no avail. The one I am sharing today is the closest to 'goodness'.... hehehe.... not yet there, but yeah... edible :D
This is Nik's fav, btw... and it is one of those regular and/or 'must haves' meal in my home.
There's always a secret or trick of the trade to a good recipe and I have not yet found any good tips on this. Let's see what we need to for this pasta.
I normally use fettuccine or angel-hair pasta for my Olio. Boil the pasta according to the instruction, not to overcook them else your Olio won't taste as nice. Make it al-dente :)
Half pack of the pasta will be enough for 3-4 pax. Once done, take the pasta out from the boiling water, drain and use a strainer to run cold water through the pasta to stop them from cooking. Add 1-2 tbsp olive oil to pasta to make sure they don't stick together. Set aside.
A can of anchovies in olive oil. I used this brand - John West.
Alternatively, you can also use the normal anchovies found in our local grocery stores (use a handful of those - soak in water)
Divide the anchovies - use one portion for frying the seafood and another portion to fry with the pasta.
Use ONLY fresh and large seafood :) else they will be too tiny and drowned in the sea of pasta. That will definitely kill the taste. I used large fresh prawns and squids - you can also add clams if you like.
With extra olive oil, fry 2-3 cloves of garlic (add more if you like), add the anchovies and fry again over medium heat. I always blend the garlic, so I normally used 1-2 tbsp. Then once the garlic are all cooked, add seafood and fry again until all are cooked - medium well, Don't overcook the seafood.
Add vegetable stock or chicken/beef stock, salt, black pepper and continue to fry. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a separate wok, add 2-3 tbsp olive oil, fry the balance of anchovies and add just 1-2 tsp of garlic and continue to fry. Add 1-2 cups of fresh baby spinach or other veggies that you like. I always use baby spinach for my Olio.
Fry for 1-2 minutes and add in your pasta. Make sure you have enough oil in the wok and stir the ingredients until they come together. Do not hesitate to add in a lil bit of olive oil, if you need to. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Slow down the heat and add the seafood mixture into the pasta. Stir until they are all mixed together.
Turn off the heat and serve while hot. Add chili flakes and four-cheese to add flavors to your Olio...
Voila!!! Your Olio is ready!
But hey, no worries, I will be at home for 2 weeks so I will have a whole load of 'extra' time and I think I can spare some on updating my blog.
Today, I want to share one of my favorite recipes .. Aglio e Olio Pasta. I've tried so many times to find the perfect recipe, but to no avail. The one I am sharing today is the closest to 'goodness'.... hehehe.... not yet there, but yeah... edible :D
This is Nik's fav, btw... and it is one of those regular and/or 'must haves' meal in my home.
There's always a secret or trick of the trade to a good recipe and I have not yet found any good tips on this. Let's see what we need to for this pasta.
I normally use fettuccine or angel-hair pasta for my Olio. Boil the pasta according to the instruction, not to overcook them else your Olio won't taste as nice. Make it al-dente :)
Half pack of the pasta will be enough for 3-4 pax. Once done, take the pasta out from the boiling water, drain and use a strainer to run cold water through the pasta to stop them from cooking. Add 1-2 tbsp olive oil to pasta to make sure they don't stick together. Set aside.
A can of anchovies in olive oil. I used this brand - John West.
Alternatively, you can also use the normal anchovies found in our local grocery stores (use a handful of those - soak in water)
Divide the anchovies - use one portion for frying the seafood and another portion to fry with the pasta.
Use ONLY fresh and large seafood :) else they will be too tiny and drowned in the sea of pasta. That will definitely kill the taste. I used large fresh prawns and squids - you can also add clams if you like.
 |
| Fresh seafood & half portion of the anchovies |
Add vegetable stock or chicken/beef stock, salt, black pepper and continue to fry. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a separate wok, add 2-3 tbsp olive oil, fry the balance of anchovies and add just 1-2 tsp of garlic and continue to fry. Add 1-2 cups of fresh baby spinach or other veggies that you like. I always use baby spinach for my Olio.
Fry for 1-2 minutes and add in your pasta. Make sure you have enough oil in the wok and stir the ingredients until they come together. Do not hesitate to add in a lil bit of olive oil, if you need to. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Slow down the heat and add the seafood mixture into the pasta. Stir until they are all mixed together.
Turn off the heat and serve while hot. Add chili flakes and four-cheese to add flavors to your Olio...
Voila!!! Your Olio is ready!
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