Giada De Laurentiis (Adapted) – Serves 6
I LOVE the fresh citrus flavor that lemons bring to any recipe! It is one of the last ingredients added when cooking and brings a clean, fresh flavor to any dish. This simple side dish is perfect with Chicken Piccata, and Lemon Sherbet. It was one of my favorite meal plans for my safe “bubble” of friends during the second summer of the COVID pandemic. We dined al fresco on my patio, where they decided I ran the “Best COVID Restaurant of 2022.” The group included: Chani, Marilyn, Paul, Monty, and my sister Lorelei. The first year of the pandemic took its toll, with severe isolation. So this safe bubble of friends and family allowed me to try out new recipes, indulge in a few glasses of wine, play card games, and form a bond of friendship with a group of super cool people. Whenever I served Lemon Spaghetti the platter was scraped clean. Now when I serve it it brings back memories of comfort and togetherness. Here is a go-to recipe that I discovered during the pandemic.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Spaghetti
- 1/3 C Olive oil
- 1 ½ C Grated Parmesan
- 1 C Fresh lemon juice (about six lemons), If you don’t LOVE lemons reduce the amount
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 T Lemon zest
- 2/3 C Chopped fresh basil leaves
Directions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring
- occasionally, about 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan, and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend.
- Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid, and put the pasta back into the pot it was boiled in.
- Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce and the reserved cooking liquid, adding 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten—season with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil.
Mangia by Pia 