Lemon Spaghetti

Make Lemon Spaghetti for a bright, quick dinner — zesty lemon, capers, and Pecorino come together in minutes.

Ingredients

• 16 ounces spaghetti
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter, (salted or unsalted)
• 1/3 cup drained capers
• 6-8 cloves garlic, (minced)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 40 turns freshly cracked pepper
• zest and juice from 2 lemons (about 1/3 cup juice)
• 1/2 tsp EACH salt, dried oregano
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, (minced (may sub 1 tsp dried))
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, (minced (may sub 1 tsp dried))
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese (may sub Parmesan)

Instructions

Step 1: Boil the shallow, starchy pasta

Add roughly 2 quarts (about 8 cups) of water to a wide, large pot so the water sits shallow and becomes very starchy as it boils. Cover to bring to a full boil, then uncover, stir in a tablespoon of salt and ease in the spaghetti so the strands can soften without crowding. Cook uncovered, stirring often, until the strands are just shy of al dente — they will finish in the sauce. Before draining, ladle and reserve one cup of the cloudy, starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta (do not rinse), letting the glossy strands sit ready to finish in the sauce.

Step 2: Build the lemon-caper garlic sauce and finish the pasta

While the pasta cooks, heat a large braiser or wide saucepan and add the olive oil, butter, capers, minced garlic, red pepper flakes and a heavy dose of freshly cracked pepper; warm until very fragrant and the butter is melted. Remove briefly from heat and stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, oregano and salt so the citrus brightens the aromatics. Return to medium and whisk in about 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta water to loosen and emulsify the pan juices into a thin, glossy sauce. Add the drained spaghetti, minced basil and parsley, and the grated Pecorino Romano; toss and lift the strands continuously until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta finishes al dente, adding additional reserved water 1/4 cup at a time only as needed to achieve a silky, clinging sauce. The result should be glossy, lightly sauced spaghetti flecked with capers, herbs and pepper.

Step 3: Plate and garnish for service

Remove from heat and transfer into a shallow, rustic speckled white serving bowl. Twirl the pasta into an elegant nest, scatter a few whole basil leaves and a sprinkling of minced parsley, grate more Pecorino over the top, and finish with a few generous turns of cracked black pepper. Tuck a couple of lemon wedges at the rim for a finishing squeeze. Taste and add salt if needed, then present immediately while the sauce remains silky and the strands glisten.

Notes

• Reserve at least 1 cup of starchy pasta water to finish the sauce.
• Zest lemons before juicing them to capture bright citrus oils.
• Add salt sparingly; Pecorino and capers add substantial saltiness.
• Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water or olive oil for best texture.
• Swap Pecorino for Parmesan or use nutritional yeast for a vegan version.