Lemon Spaghetti. Hmm, that can’t taste good, right? Lemons and spaghetti? No thanks, I’ll stick to lemonade, preferably seasoned with a little vodka (smile). Well, let me tell you, I was totally wrong! Lemon and spaghetti go so well together. I really need to listen to Giada De Laurentiis more!
I absolutely love cooking from Giada’s book Everyday Italian cookbook but never thought to make this recipe. Until now. I’ll admit, dinner came upon me very quickly and I had nothing exciting in my cupboards to make a decent meal. Yesterday was a busy day full of appointments and work. The kids were home, so I didn’t have a lot of time to myself. And let’s face it. I was craving comfort. And this is definitely comforting, except it’s super light and flavourful. It took literally minutes to make and yields a lot, perfect for leftovers a few days later. It can be made as a main or a side. Last night, we had it with garlic bread (carb central) but later on in the week, I’ll use it as a side with a piece of meat and a large salad.
Lemon Spaghetti
2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
3/4 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black peppers (plus more to taste)
1 lb dried spaghetti
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
1. In a large bowl, whisk the oil, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper to blend. Set the lemon sauce aside. I used Parmano (a blend of Parmesan and Romano cheese). I’m sure the fresh stuff is better but this is what I had in my fridge!Â
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti (I used spaghettini because I like it better) and cook until tender but firm (about 8 minutes).
3. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. This is important, don’t forget this step (but if you do, quickly run hot water over the pasta and collect what drips off).Â
4. Add the spaghetti to the lemon sauce and toss with the basil and lemon zest. I did this in a big pan to make it easy to toss. Fresh basil would have been amazing in this dish but the grocery didn’t have any so I used what I had (the dried stuff). If you’re using dried basil, don’t use 1/3 cup. You’ll ruin this dish. Sprinkle lightly.
5. Toss the pasta with enough reserved cooking liquid (1/4 cup at a time) to moisten. You do not need the entire cup. I used maybe half of a cup tops.
5. Season with more salt and pepper to taste if desired. And honestly, it’s not needed, so don’t add more sodium to this dish. Serve immediately.
Enjoy everyone! My goal is to do this once a week for those who like the recipes I post and the photos I take! Many of you know I am really into food photography (and cooking when I get the chance). But when I can cook something from scratch and photograph it afterwards, it’s even more rewarding for me. Give this recipe a try if you’re looking for a new way to spruce up your spaghetti. You won’t be sorry! Not sure what I’ll post next week but if I have enough time, I’ll also show post photos during the process, rather than the end result. And for those who want to know or even question my cooking skills, this-is-delicious. My doors are open, you’re welcome to pop in for a bowl on me! Until next time, Robyn xo