Spaghetti with Lemon Pesto

Ingredients

• 1 lb Spaghetti
• 2 Lemons (zested in wide strips and juiced)
• 0.5 cup Slivered almonds (toasted)
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese (finely grated)
• 0.25 cup Fresh chives (chopped)
• 0.33 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Sugar (to temper acidity)
• Kosher salt (to taste)
• Black pepper (to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the wide strips of lemon zest to the water and let them boil for about 2 to 3 minutes to infuse the water with citrus oils.

2. 2

   Using a slotted spoon, remove and discard the lemon zest strips from the boiling water. This prevents the water from becoming bitter and keeps the zest from tangling with the pasta.

3. 3

   Add the spaghetti to the lemon-infused boiling water and cook until al dente, according to the package directions.

4. 4

   While the pasta cooks, prepare the pesto. In a food processor, combine the toasted almonds, Parmesan cheese, chives, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper.

5. 5

   Pulse the mixture until finely ground. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto is emulsified and relatively smooth.

6. 6

   Before draining the pasta, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy cooking water.

7. 7

   Drain the spaghetti and return it to the pot. Add the lemon pesto and half of the reserved cooking water.

8. 8

   Toss the pasta vigorously over low heat to coat the strands, adding more cooking water as needed to reach a creamy consistency that clings to the noodles.

9. 9

   Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Removing the lemon zest before adding the pasta is crucial; if left in, the zest can impart a bitter flavor to the water and becomes difficult to separate from the cooked spaghetti strands. The addition of sugar helps balance the higher acidity of domestic lemons compared to the sweeter Amalfi varieties.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• vegetarian
• pesto
• lemon
• summer
• quick-dinner