Cooking in Real Time

RERUN Episode 15: Spaghetti with Lemon and Basil, with Wilted Arugula with Pine Nuts

06.25.2019 - By Zora ONeillPlay

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

This week, I make an easy, summery pasta dish, plus arugula that’s a nice variation from the usual salad. It all comes together very quickly, and doesn’t heat up the kitchen much–great when the weather is hot.

Shopping list

* 1 lemon * Bunch fresh basil * Bunch fresh arugula * Spaghetti (at least 1/2 lb.) * Pine nuts (about 1/4 cup) * Butter (about 4 tablespoons) * Parmesan cheese (a half-inch chunk) * Olive oil (a drizzle) * Fish sauce (a few drops) * Red pepper flakes

Spaghetti with Lemon and Basil

Summer in a bowl.

I cook this all the time in the summer–there’s something about the flavor combination that’s so refreshing, and in the summer, I don’t really feel like I need a big meaty main dish. I learned the recipe from a surprisingly good free promotional cookbook I got from the Parmigiano-Reggiano people a good ten years ago, and to be fair, the quality of the grating cheese does make a difference. So use Parmigiano-Reggiano, ideally, or, in a budgetary pinch, Grana Padano, though you’re not using so much that genuine Parm will break the bank.

For 2 servings

1 lemon

Large handful fresh basil leaves

Half-inch chunk of Parmesan

3-4 tablespoons butter

1/2 pound spaghetti

Salt, to taste

For this quick-cooking dish, get your mise in place.

Set a pot with heavily salted water on to boil. Then get all the pasta ingredients ready (as in the photo): grate the zest from the lemon into a small bowl, then squeeze the lemon juice into another small bowl–you’ll want about 1 tablespoon total, maybe a dash more. Rinse the basil well, then slice into thin strips. Grate the Parmesan cheese–you should have about 1/3 cup. Measure out your butter.

In a heavy skillet (the same one you will have prepared the arugula in is fine) on medium heat, melt the butter, then add the lemon zest and juice and let simmer for a minute or so. (You can do this part in advance and let it sit until the pasta is cooked.)

Pasta loves its cooking water.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions–usually 6-8 minutes. When it’s just al dente (err toward less done), set aside a bit of the pasta water in a mug, then drain the rest of the pasta. Toss it into the skillet with the butter (turn the heat back on to medium, if it has been sitting), and stir the pasta to coat evenly (tongs are good here). Gradually shake in all but about 1 tablespoon of the cheese, stirring the pasta constantly. If the mixture gets a bit dry or too sticky (as in the photo), add a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta water. Finally, toss in the basil and turn off the heat. Taste for salt (you may not need any if you’ve salted your pasta water well, and used salted butter). Serve with the reserved cheese sprinkled on top.

Wilted Arugula with Pine Nuts

Yeah, arugula cooks down as much as spinach does. Brace yourself.

This preparation takes a little of the intense peppery bite out of arugula, so give it a try even if you’re not ordinarily an arugula fan. And the basic technique–wilting greens with a little bit of liquid in a hot, covered pan–is one you can apply to all kinds of greens. Pine nuts add a little crunch and additional protein,

More episodes from Cooking in Real Time