lemon parmesan tagliatelle

I think it was yesterday morning while lying awake in bed I decided dinner would have to be lemony and peppery and laden with satisfyingly wide lengths of pasta. Had yesterday evening turned out to be as lovely as the sunshine and heat of 6 a.m. promised, this meal would have been as refreshing as it was  tasty.

ingredients:

6 rounds of tagliatelle (or enough for two people)

handful chopped basil (maybe eight good-sized leaves, otherwise about 1 tbsp dried basil)

3/4 c. finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1/2 lemon, zested and juiced

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

method:

There are days when fast food isn't fast enough or tasty enough but this fulfils every criteria you might have: the entire meal, preparation and all, can be completed in the time it takes to cook the pasta. While the pasta is on the boil, zest the lemon and combine in a bowl with the basil, Parmasan, salt and pepper. If you can, I would definitely recommend grating the Parmasan yourself. Juice the lemon in another bowl and leave it aside.

When the pasta is cooked to the point it still retains a very slight bite, drain it. Depending on who you're trying to impress, either put it in a large bowl or return to the pot you cooked it in. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, toss in the basil, cheese, zest, salt and pepper until the pasta is finely coated, then add the lemon juice and olive oil and toss again.

This is definitely best served immediately, though if you decide to make a salad to go with it, remember to prepare that first. Not as the pasta is being served.

Comments

[HR]

Another version (which I'm not sure where I got from) is to mix together lemon juice, grated parmesan, olive oil, S&P and fresh basil, then stir this into cooked paste. Top with sauteed thin slices of courgette with lots of garlic.

[P]

I once shared a flat in Rome with a Sicilian chef (among others). He taught me a version of this that used cream as well (or its equivalents, fromage frais or soya somethingorother). Yum.

[Sharon]

Ooh, I made this once, except I used butter instead of olive oil. It was bloody lovely!