Lemonade Pasta

A summery and light dish that is very good served hot and fresh and sometimes even better served cold (with a little extra oil). This is a recipe for 4-6 people. Add or subtract as you are inspired:

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz pasta (this works best with thin pasta like capellini, angel hair, spaghetti and fettucini--but I have made it even with gemelli and ditalini).
• 2 lemons
• 10 fresh basil leaves (If you don't have fresh basil, look for another recipe, sorry.)
• 1.5 TBSP olive oil
• 1 small handful of parsley, finely chopt
• Large pinch of brown sugar (just find a fingertip sized clump in your brown sugar and throw it in. No measuring, please)
• Parmigiano to garnish (please know that Kraft parmesan is not parmigiano -- but grano is the closest bargain buy)
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook the pasta.
2. In a large serving bowl add zest from both lemons, juice from both lemons, oil, brown sugar, chopped parsley, salt (1tsp?) and lots of freshly ground pepper.
3. Chop the basil finely and wait to add it to the lemon mixture until the last minute. I noticed that mine turned brown and looked rather unappetizing when added too early. Add it just before you...
4. Drain the pasta.
5. Add the hot pasta to the large serving bowl
6. Mix very well, it will not do if the bottom half of the bowl is very lemony and the top is quite bland.
7. Add parmigiano (also keep a bowl of shaved or grated fresh parmigiano on the table -- for the bottom half of the bowl might not get enough in the first go)

Serve with seedy, crusty, bread and lemony asparagus or garlicky kale. If you're out of parmigiano and you're a feta kind of person, try it with that. Although, I must warn you that babies only like super fresh feta -- not ΑΤΗΕΝΟΣ or anything you buy in a cute package. If you're in Waco, try D's Mediterranean Chicken for good feta! Apparently the guy who runs that place drives to Houston every week just to buy feta! Stella loves it there but will not eat any grocery store feta.

Check out my other recipes too!