Recipe for Lovers: Lemon Spaghetti

The recipe for lovers series provides a fun and easy activity for newlyweds to do together, or for each other as a nice gift... tested and tried, straight from the Powers' Kitchen!

This a favorite Rachel Ray recipe for busy days, and it's so good & easy!

• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Total Time: 20 mins
• Serves: 4, Yield: 4

About This Recipe

"This is fantastic pasta- it has a strong lemon flavor plus a kick of spice from the red pepper flakes!  Served with Shrimp, Fish or chicken.”

Ingredients

• salt
• 1 lb spaghetti
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes -omit if you don't like spicy food
• 2 lemons, juice and zest of
• 1/2-3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• handful flat leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, very thinly sliced

Directions

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and drop the spaghetti into the pot.
• Heat a large deep skillet over low heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and garlic and crushed red pepper flakes.
• When 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. 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.