Pasta Aglio e Olio Gets a Plus One
The New York Times
Adding fried pepperoni to a classic recipe with garlic and olive oil gives it a bacon-like brawniness and a chile kick.
As much as I adore long-simmered pasta sauces like Bolognese or Marcella Hazan’s butter-slicked tomatoes, the ones I gravitate to most can be sautéed in a skillet while the pasta boils in a pot alongside.
Variations on a classic aglio e olio, these sauces are invariably anchored by loads of olive oil and garlic, then perked up with a pinch of red-pepper flakes and handful of parsley (and maybe an anchovy or six). They’re thoroughly satisfying meals that take exactly three minutes longer to put together than for the pasta to cook.
Sometimes, though, the urge to embellish pulls hard, especially when there are cured pork products in the house.
