Lemon Spaghetti

We had our first and probably only heat wave of the summer this past week. I'm not complaining...it's kind of nice, actually, to be hot for a change, considering the string of wet and cool days this summer. And the days of warm weather are numbered around here, come September.

If it were up to me, I wouldn't cook in this weather. I tend not to be hungry in the heat. I think the body knows it's too warm for anything heavy. But everyone else needs to eat and I need to feed them. The challenge is to find something light and not requiring too much work, and I think Lemon Spaghetti fits the bill. Other than boiling the water for the pasta, there is no cooking.

This recipe was featured on the Today Show last year, and I was intrigued. I'd never encountered a citrus pasta sauce, but it makes sense. Southern Italy is full of lemon trees, and if you travel the Amalfli Coast, you see trees with bright yellow lemons, almost hanging over the roads.

This dish is so simple to make. You can prepare the sauce while the water boils, or make it ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to use (bring to room temperature first).

Lemon Spaghetti

2/3 cups olive oil

2/3 cups grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 pound spaghetti

1/3 cup fresh basil

1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)

In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil, cheese, lemon juice, and salt and pepper together. Set aside or cover and refrigerate for later use (bring to room temperature). Bring a pot of water to a boil, add spaghetti and stir. Cook until al dente and then drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Toss spaghetti with lemon sauce and add basil and zest. Add reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until moistened. Serve immediately.

I think it tastes better the next day, for leftovers. And I've omitted the basil if I didn't have any, and thought the dish was just fine.