Our favorite local restaurant is Crispina Ristorante in Vinings. We’ve never had a bad dish and especially love their spaghetti (with) aglio, olio and peperoncino. I’m sure it’s made with just a few simple ingredients, but it’s delicious. I’d love to have the recipe. Thank you!
— Elise Ford, Smyrna
Crispina’s manager and co-owner Andriano Djula was happy to provide the recipe for this Italian classic. In sharing the recipe he wrote, “Like many staple recipes of the Italian cuisine, this dish traces its origins to Naples, Italy. It is defined by three basic ingredients: aglio (garlic), olio (olive oil) and peperoncino (red hot pepper), and is considered a solution for an easy, quick, inexpensive yet tasty meal.”
Djula was born and raised in Torre del Greco, near Naples. “From my windows I could see Capri, Mount Vesuvius and the local port with the hustle and bustle of the fishermen and their daily catch. At the time, those who couldn’t afford to add clams to their spaghetti, would saute beach pebbles along with aglio, olio and peperoncino to mimic the sea taste of the clams. Before the spaghetti was added, the pebbles were thrown away, leaving behind the flavor of the sea.”
He’s taken the traditional dish and added the step of roasting the garlic to enhance its sweetness. At the restaurant, the dish is prepared in individual servings made to order. We’ve increased the yield to serve four.
Crispina Ristorante & Pizzeria’s Spaghetti Aglio and Olio
- 1 head garlic
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for roasting garlic
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
- Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Discard papery outer layers of garlic head. Cut 1/4-inch off the top of the head to expose the individual garlic cloves. Put garlic on prepared baking sheet and season with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast garlic 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Cook spaghetti according to package directions in lightly salted water. When spaghetti is al dente, reserve 2 cups cooking water and drain pasta.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and stir in red pepper flakes. Squeeze the garlic cloves from the roasted head and add to the skillet. Stir in parsley and 1/2 cup cooking water. Add drained pasta and toss. If needed, add more pasta water so the sauce coats the pasta. Divide between serving plates and garnish with additional chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Serves: 4
Per serving, using 1/8 teaspoon salt: 569 calories (percent of calories from fat, 29), 15 grams protein, 88 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams total sugars, 5 grams fiber, 19 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 149 milligrams sodium.
From the menu of ... Crispina Ristorante & Pizzeria, 3300 Cobb Parkway, Atlanta. 678-426-7149. crispinaatlanta.com
Is there a recipe from a metro Atlanta restaurant you’d like to make at home? Tell us and we’ll try to get it. We’ll also test it and adapt it for the home kitchen. Because of volume, we can’t answer all inquiries. Send your request, your address and phone number to fromthemenu@gmail.com and put “From the menu of” and the name of the restaurant in the subject line.
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