From Chef (2014)
Pasta Aglio e Olio
Screen-exact
Roy Choi, the film's culinary consultant, cooked the pasta made on screen — a version of the aglio e olio he makes at home. Favreau and Choi demonstrate and publish it as 'Scarlett's Pasta' on 'The Chef Show' (Netflix, 2019).
In the movie
Theatrical
- Carl cooks the late-night pasta for Molly, who closes her eyes at the first bite — the film's most sensual scene
Ingredients
Steps
- Boil the spaghetti in well-salted water until just shy of al dente. Save a mugful of the starchy pasta water before you drain.
- Meanwhile, warm the olive oil gently with the slivered garlic and red pepper flakes — low and patient, so the garlic turns pale gold and perfumes the oil without burning.
- Add the drained pasta to the pan with a splash of the reserved pasta water and toss hard, letting the starch pull the oil into a glossy sauce that clings to each strand.
- Off the heat, fold through the parsley, the Parmesan, and the lemon juice. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper, adding a little more pasta water if it tightens up.
- Twirl into warm bowls and serve at once, while it's silky.
In the movie
Carl cooks this late at night for Molly — a handful of humble ingredients turned transcendent. He plates it, hands it over, and the camera lingers as she closes her eyes at the first bite. It's the film's most sensual scene, an argument that simple food, made with attention, is its own kind of seduction.
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