Lemon Pasta

Lemon Pasta
Serves 4
This is such a great side dish and so simple to prepare! I love to throw together a batch of this pasta as a last minute side dish because it's so quick and I usually have everything I need in the refrigerator. Light and fresh tasting it goes with anything; pork, fish, roast beef, roast chicken, shell fish and anything else you might concoct.

Salt
1 pound spaghetti or pasta of your choice
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup (10 or 12 leaves) fresh basil, very thinly sliced

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and drop the spaghetti into the pot. Cook according to the directions on the packaging for al dente.

Heat a large deep skillet over low heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes.

After the pasta has been cooking about 5 minutes, add lemon juice, a ladle of the cooking water from the pasta and the cream to the garlic and oil in the skillet. Raise heat a bit to bring sauce to a bubble.

Drain pasta when it still has a good bite to it, al dente.

Add lemon zest and half of the cheese to the cream sauce. Season the sauce with salt, to taste. Add pasta to pan and turn off heat. Toss the pasta with sauce a minute or 2, allowing it time to soak up the sauce.

Top the plates of pasta or platter with remaining cheese, parsley and basil.