Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, Peperoncino & Avocado

great for meatless Mondays

Yield:
for 2 persons
Category:
Pasta
Cuisine:
Italian

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 small dried red chile, chopped (I use a large pinch of crushed red pepper)
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 2 leeks, trimmed and cut into thin rings
  • 10 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 5 ounces spaghetti
  • shredded Parmesan to serve
  • salt & freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Heat the oil and garlic over a very gentle heat in a small skillet to just draw out the flavor. Take care not to burn the garlic because you can ruin the flavor. Add the leeks and the tomato halves, and cook for a few minutes more. When it smells good, add the chili and heat for a moment more. Remove from the heat. Halve the avocado and scoop out nice chunks into a wide serving bowl. Add the lemon juice and season well with salt and pepper.
  2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Pour the cooled garlic oil over the avocado and gently mix. Scoop out the pasta with a spaghetti fork directly into the bowl. Add a little of the cooking water to loosen things up and stir gently, trying to keep the avocado in chunks. Serve immediately with lots of shredded Parmesan and a nice extra grind of black pepper.

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