L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2017 www.italoamericano.org 34 L'Italo-Americano LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES T he heat of high summer calls for lots of time pool- side and as little time as possible in the kitchen. We want meals that are simple, require lit- tle or no cooking and minimal effort and time. Perhaps, most importantly, the preparation should allow for the person doing the cooking (me) to spend mini- mal time in the kitchen and maxi- mum time poolside with cool drink in hand (Campari spritz, anyone?). Lemon can be a surprising addition to a pasta dish but you will find it in many dishes throughout southern Italy. In summer, it adds a refreshing twist to any pasta dish and makes a great vegetarian course. This recipe calls for zero stove time other than boiling the water for the pasta. Pair it with a refresh- ing summer tomato and cucum- ber salad and in less than 30 min- utes, dinner is served, poolside. When using so few ingredi- ents, it is important to use top quality produce as the flavors shine through. It is essential to pull out your best quality olive oil for this one, trust me. And remember to generously salt the pasta water. It should taste like the sea. A properly salted pasta will add that important layer of flavor to the final dish. I like to add a heavy dose of freshly ground pepper as well. This is also one of those recipes that should be adjusted to suit your tastes and whims of the day. Consider the pasta a back- drop for whatever you have on hand from the summer garden. Here I have it topped with a few handfuls of chopped salted pista- chios. I have made this dish with a few handfuls of arugula or basil thrown in at the end, too. Too many tomatoes or zucchini? Dice up some delicious fresh tomatoes and toss them in as well. Or quickly sauté some fresh diced zucchini. The lemon sauce will complement all your summer highlights well! I have included a few variations below as well. Then hightail it out that pool to join the others, refreshing drink firmly in hand! Buona estate! Michele Spaghetti with Lemon and Pistachio Ingredients: • 1 pound spaghetti • 1 large garlic clove, peeled (for rubbing the bowl) • 3 large lemons • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil • 1 cup grated Parmesan, plus additional for serving • Salt • Freshly ground black pep- per • Finely chopped pistachios, for serving Directions: 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. 2. In the meantime, cut the garlic clove in half and rub the exposed part of the clove around the inside of your serving bowl. (This will give the pasta a subtle garlic flavor.) Discard garlic. 3. Zest and juice all 3 lemons, keeping the zest and juice sepa- rate. Add about 1/3 of the lemon zest and all the lemon juice to the bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Whisk in the Parmesan. Taste and season with the salt and pepper. 4. Cook the pasta according to package directions until tender but still firm (al dente), stirring occasionally. 5. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta. Add the warm pasta to the serving bowl and toss. Add the pasta water in ¼ cup increments until you have the creamy sauce coat- ing each strand. Taste again and adjust the seasoning. 6. Garnish with chopped pista- chios, additional reserved lemon zest and Parmesan prior to serv- ing. Variations: Add fresh ricotta: simply add about 1 cup of fresh ricotta to the lemon mixture. The warm pasta will melt the ricotta and become a heavenly creamy sauce. Add fresh arugula and/or basil: just after the pasta has been added to the lemon sauce (and while still warm), toss in a few handfuls of baby arugula and a few chopped leaves of basil (to balance out the arugula). Stir to slightly wilt the arugula and basil. Omit one or the other if you pre- fer. Add shrimp: in a large skillet, heat a couple of glugs of olive oil over medium heat. Add about a pound of cleaned shrimp, tails on or off – up to you. Sauté for about 2 minutes. Add 3 cloves of chopped garlic. Stir. Sauté until the shrimp has cooked through. Add the shrimp to the pasta just after mixing with the lemon mix- ture. Add zucchini or tomatoes: In a large skillet, heat a couple of glugs of olive oil over medium heat. Add in diced zucchini or tomatoes (or both) and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add 3 cloves of chopped garlic. Stir. Sauté until the zucchini and/or tomatoes have cooked through. Add to the pasta just after mixing with the lemon mixture. Stir well. Joe and Michele Becci are a brother and sister team who love all things Italian. Together, from opposite coasts, they co-author the blog OurItalianTable.com. Spaghetti with Lemon and Pistachio Lemon can be a surprising addition to a pasta dish but you will find it in many dishes throughout southern Italy MICHELE BECCI Refreshing Lemony Pasta to Beat the Summer Heat

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