Whole Wheat Pasta Aglio e Olio
Before I became a stay at homer, I worked. Like, I had an actual, career. I know, imagine that? It seems so long ago, almost like another lifetime. It’s only been 2.5 years, but still, I was a different person then. I was the kind of person who never looked at prices. I’d scoff at the idea of a coupon. Going out to dinner and spending a few hundred bucks on a meal was no big deal. Fast forward to this life; this new life where I am the coupon queen and I nearly die over the prices at restaurants. And forget the weekly mani and pedi! {Okay, I still get the pedi. A girl has got to live!}
I can’t bring myself to order certain things in restaurants anymore, based on price, like pasta dishes. Don’t get me wrong, I have no trouble letting my husband drop a ridiculous amount of money at a good steak house. Steak is something that the price is worth, if done right. Ruth’s Chris knows how to do it right and you pay (I mean pay) for all that delicious rightness. Anyway, I’m drifting from my point (and drooling thinking of a ribeye).
Okay, back to my point, we went out to dinner a while back and I really was in the mood for just a plain old good pasta dish. Well, for Pasta Aglio e Olio, they want twenty five bucks?! I know that’s not a ton of money, but for pasta with garlic and oil, it seems steep, no? This gave me an idea. My plan is to look at a few of my favorite restaurant meals that are WAY overpriced and create them here. For you. So you don’t have to spend a gazillion dollars for stinkin’ pasta. You’re welcome.
Like, I said, this is a new idea that just came to me, and this Whole Wheat Pasta Aglio e Olio is the only one I have planned so far, but I will come up with more. I just need to scour a few menus first.
So if you aren’t familiar with Pasta Aglio e Olio, it’s literally pasta with garlic oil. Usually it’s also seasoned with some crushed red pepper flakes. I’ve even seen the occasional capers thrown in the mix. I decided to health it up a little and use whole wheat pasta, but traditionally it’s with regular spaghetti. And to take away the health of the whole wheat pasta, I threw in some bread crumbs. Ha! You can leave out the breadcrumbs, but I really like the texture it adds to a simple pasta dish.
This dish comes together in minutes and in my estimation, I made enough for 4-5 people and the total cost was under $15 (even cheaper if you don’t use super expensive cheese like I do).
Oh and because my husband is a total carnivore, I threw some leftover chicken in his. So if you can’t do without the meat, go ahead and use up your leftover chicken, or use that store bought precooked stuff. Whatever floats your boat.
Up to 50% off Back to School sale at Gymboree!
What are some of your favorite restaurant pasta dishes? Maybe I can remake them for you? Leave me your favorite pasta dish and the link to the restaurant in comments!
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Ingredients
- 13.25 oz Whole Wheat Pasta (I use Angel Hair)
- 1/2 C olive oil
- 5-6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/8-1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 C bread crumbs (dry)
- 1/2 C freshly grated romano cheese (or parmesan)
- 1/2 C chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt to boiling water. Cook pasta until just al dente (about 3 minutes under normal cooking time). Reserve 1 C cooking water, set aside. Drain pasta and set aside.
- Return pot to heat, reduce to medium heat. Add olive oil. Cook 1 minute. Add crushed red pepper and garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add pasta back to pan and toss well with tongs to coat well. Add 1/4 C cooking water (if still too dry, add a little more, until desired consistency). Add bread crumbs and black pepper, cook another 2-3 minutes, tossing frequently. Remove from heat and stir in cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.
- **Optional: Add 2 C precooked chicken to make a heartier meal.
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