Spaghetti with Garlic, Capers, Black Pepper & Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I have this when the fridge is empty and I’m in a rush, as it’s super-easy to put together and packs a punch. High-quality olive oil is a must for this dish. If you fancy zhuzhing it up, add some crushed red pepper flakes and/or anchovies… 

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

Padella: Iconic Pasta at Home. TIm Siadatan

• 14 oz (400g) dried spaghetti

• 7 tbsp (100ml) high-quality extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to finish

• 8 medium garlic cloves (about ⅓ cup/40g), finely chopped

• ½ cup (120g) capers, rinsed, half whole, half finely chopped

• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tbsp finely chopped Italian parsley

• Sea salt

DIRECTIONS 

For the pasta, in a large cooking pot, bring 4–5 quarts of water to a boil and add a fistful of salt. 

Drop the spaghetti into a boiling water and follow the package directions for timing but take 2 minutes off the recommended cooking time (so if the package says 9 minutes, give it 7 minutes). 

At the same time, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a pan large enough to hold the sauce and cooked pasta. Add the garlic, capers, pepper and a pinch of salt and fry over a medium heat until the garlic starts to turn golden, stirring frequently to ensure the mixture doesn’t catch and burn. 

Take the pan off the heat and add a splash (about 2 tbsp) of water to stop the cooking process. (Be careful when adding water to a pan containing hot oil, as it can spit; best to take the pan off the heat first.) 

Drain the pasta as soon as it’s ready, keeping 2 cups of pasta water.

Transfer the pasta to the garlic and caper pan and add the chopped parsley and ½ cup of pasta water. Stir continuously over a medium heat for a minute – the liquid in the sauce will reduce as you stir (the pasta will also continue to cook). It’s all about the spadellare, working it in the pan until you get the right consistency of sauce. You might need to add small splashes of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce, but remember to keep stirring until you hit the right consistency – you want the pasta to be loose and for the strands to slide freely over each other as you move them around the pan.

When the pasta is al dente (firm to bite but easy to chew), taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and/or pepper if necessary. Divide between hot plates, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and eat immediately.

Adapted from Padella: Iconic Pasta at Home. Used with the permission of the publisher, Bloomsbury. Text copyright © 2025 by Tim Siadatan, Photography copyright © 2025 by Sam A Harris

When you shop using our links, we earn a small commission. It’s a great way to support public media at no extra cost to you.