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When my kitchen is sparse and something quick and comforting is what I crave, I look to the simple yet classic pasta dishes that Italians are known for: cacio e pepe, Marcella Hazan’s tomato sauce with onion and butter, and carbonara. These are just a few favorites that fall under this umbrella, but aglio e olio is arguably the least fussy of them all.
Keep a Couple of Packages of Gnocchi on Hand for This Weeknight Wonder
This aglio e olio recipe calls for shelf-stable gnocchi, which I always keep stocked in my pantry. To be honest, though, I never boil it. Instead, I prefer pan-frying the dumplings so they get golden-brown and crispy on the outside, and tender and pleasantly chewy on the inside.
While you can do the same with frozen or fresh gnocchi, I find that shelf-stable brown and cook the best in a hot skillet. Toss them with spicy, garlic-infused olive oil, arugula, and a squeeze of lemon for brightness, then finish things off with a dollop of whole-milk ricotta for cool creaminess with every bite.
