Lemony Pasta

Perfect pasta for a summer lunch.

I’ve served this outdoors in the garden with a light white wine many times. It is also good served cold. This recipe is so easy it hardly counts as “cooking.” The only really cooking involved is boiling the spaghetti. It can be served as a main course or an accompaniment.

Ingredients

• 9 ounces spaghetti or linguini

• juice of 4 lemons

• grated zest from the lemons

• 5 ounces olive oil

• 5 ounces Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

• 1 teaspoon of chili pepper flakes

• 2 handfuls of fresh basil, leaves sliced

• 1 handful of fresh mint leaves

• 1 cup fresh chopped tomato

• 1/4 cup chopped pitted Italian olives (green or black)

• 2 tablespoons drained capers

• salt and pepper

Instructions

Cook the spaghetti in a generous amount of salted boiling water, then drain.

Meanwhile, beat the lemon juice with the olive oil, then stir in the Parmesan until it becomes a thick creamy sauce. The Parmesan will melt into the mixture. Season with pepper flakes, salt and pepper, then add more lemon juice to taste.

Add the sauce to the cooked drained spaghetti along with the tomato, olives and capers.

Toss with the lemon zest, fresh basil, and mint.