Perhaps the most basic and versatile of all of the pasta dishes, aglio e olio is really all about the pasta. The “sauce” just sets the stage for delicious high-quality freshly made pasta. Though with that said, the real key to perfecting this dish is how you prepare the garlic. The more you slice into garlic, the sharper it becomes. That’s why I prefer to always mash my garlic in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt. Preparing garlic in this fashion brings out the richest, and sweetest profile that garlic has to offer.

This dish’s simplicity translates well into versatility. I often like to accent it with a single seasonal vegetable. Both as a way of adding some sustenance and nutrition, but also as a way of reminding myself that time is indeed moving forward. It’s a small gesture that helps me embrace the present moment. This is also my favorite dish to make vegan. Simply sub out the Pecorino-Romano for my vegan pasta topping, which you can find to the left.