Video by CoCo Walters

It feels like little Italy at Lino's Original Pizza in the East Hills Shopping Center. The aroma of sizzling garlic and olive oil is intoxicating as Lino Ingargiola tosses what is officially called "pasta aglio oilio e peperoncio" in a skillet. Bits of green parsley and crushed red pepper accent the thin, graceful noodles as they cascade onto a plate. You can almost hear Luciano Pavarotti singing in the background. And as he shakes some Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top, Mr. Ingargiola asks with his Sicilian accent if we want to try some. It was an offer we couldn't refuse.

"We also call it spaghetti di mezzanotte, or midnight spaghetti," he says. "The reason why is it's something quick to fix whenever friends and families get together - especially when you are out and about and don't come home until 12:30 or 1 in the morning."

It's a popular dish because it's inexpensive to make with ingredients you can keep on hand, he explains. Plus, you don't need a lot of fancy equipment or space to put it together. It took Mr. Ingargiola only five or so minutes from start to finish in the confines the small food court kitchen. And the taste? Delizioso!

Make it at midnight, after work or whenever you're hungry and want something fast. Here's how:

THE PASTA

You can use any long variety of pasta, whether it's spaghetti, fettucine, linguine or angel hair, he says. For the best results, Mr. Ingargiola recommends any brand from Italy.

"Some of the American brands just glob together," he explains.

Prepare it according to package directions for "al dente" which means which means "firm to the tooth," he says. If you're not going to use it right away, make sure to rinse with cold water after it's done. Like a steak, pasta continues to cook after you've removed it from the heat. You can either use the pasta immediately or store it in the refrigerator or freezer until you are ready to eat. To warm the pasta back up, just drop it in boiling water for a few seconds.

THE SAUCE

For a pound of pasta you need:

3 garlic cloves

5 to 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or to taste)

1/3 cup chopped flat Italian parsley

Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan) or Romano grated cheese

Mr. Ingargiola first crushes the garlic cloves with the side of his large chef's knife.

"Smash just like so," he says, flattening the garlic with a swift blow of the knife. "It's easier to peel and easier to dice that way."

He thinly slices the garlic and puts it in a large frying pan. Then he adds the olive oil.

"Always use extra virgin olive oil," he says. "It's more robust than regular with more flavor. This is what makes the sauce."

He uses kalamata olive oil, but any high-quality brand would work. Then he adds the salt, pepper and crushed red pepper and turns the stove top heat to medium-high. After just a few minutes, the oil will be infused with the flavors and the garlic starts turning a light golden brown.

"Don't burn the garlic," he says, "or it will taste bitter."

The final step is adding the parsley. He uses the Italian flat leaf variety. It has more flavor than the curly variety, which is used more for decoration. Stir to mix it through the pasta and pour onto a plate. Top with cheese and add some crusty bread and a glass of Italian wine and you're good to go.

"Anyone can do it," Mr. Ingargiola says. "You can't go wrong with pasta."

Lifestyles reporter Sylvia Anderson may be reached at sylviaanderson@npgco.com.