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Midnight Pasta

Midnight Pasta

⏱ 15 minutes 👥 1 serve Track 3

The Story

This is the track you play at 1am when you're home alone, headphones on, the city asleep outside. No audience, no pressure — just you, a bowl, and the rhythm of garlic hitting hot oil. It's aglio e olio stripped down to its essentials, a solo performance with no frills and all feeling.

The tempo is presto — fast, instinctive, improvised. Pasta water boils, garlic sizzles, chilli flakes add heat like a distorted guitar riff. Parsley is the grace note, parmesan the final chord. Fifteen minutes from craving to satisfaction, and the only washing up is one pot and one bowl.

This is comfort food for insomniacs, shift workers, and anyone who's ever needed something warm and good in the small hours. It's not fancy, but it's perfect. And sometimes, that's the whole point.

Credits (Ingredients)

  • 100g spaghetti
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes (or to taste)
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Small handful fresh parsley, chopped
  • Parmesan, grated (for serving)
  • Salt

Lyrics (Method)

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to packet instructions, usually 8-10 minutes. Before draining, reserve a mugful of the starchy pasta water — it's liquid gold.
  2. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook gently, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and just starting to turn golden. Don't rush this — burnt garlic is bitter garlic.
  3. Add the chilli flakes and cook for another 30 seconds until the oil is infused and aromatic. If the garlic is browning too fast, pull the pan off the heat.
  4. Drain the pasta (but don't rinse it) and add it directly to the pan with the garlic oil. Toss well to coat every strand.
  5. Add a big splash of the reserved pasta water — about 3-4 tablespoons — and toss vigorously. The starch in the water will emulsify with the oil and create a silky, glossy sauce that clings to the pasta.
  6. Toss through the chopped parsley, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Serve immediately in a warm bowl, topped with a generous grating of parmesan and an extra crack of black pepper if you like.

Nutrition (Per Serve)

Energy 520 kcal
Protein 15g
Carbs 65g
Fat 22g