Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Cappellini with garlic, lemon and parsley



This is one of my boys favorite pasta dish. They love the garlic and lemon flavor which make the pasta so light and fresh. It is also a delicious side dish for fish or grilled chicken.


Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil
4 large garlic cloves minced
Lemon zest from one lemon
Lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lb. Cappellini or spaghettini
Fresh flat-leaf (italian) parsley

Variations:
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes or 3 plumb tomatoes (diced).
1/2 cup chopped, pitted black or green olives
1 tbsp. minced fresh thyme
1 tbsp. minced fresh rosemary
1 tbsp. minced sage

(You add these ingredients when you add the parsley to the original recipe)


Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to boil. In a large frying pan over low heat, warm the oil. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant but not golden (1-2 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Season to taste with pepper. Transfer to a large serving bowl.

Meanwhile, add 2 tablespoons of salt and the pasta to the boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the sauce along with the minced parsley and toss to combine. (If you are using variations, now is the time to incorporate those ingredients).

Add as much of the cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.




Source: Williams-Sonoma "Pasta Cookbook"

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