Olive-Oil Lemon Pasta

The Gouda Life

Ingredients

1 pound pasta

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest (about two lemons)

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup cream or buttermilk

1/4 cup good quality olive oil

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan

1/4 cup (handful) of fresh basil, chiffonaded

extra Parmesan and olive oil to garnish

salt and pepper

Preparation

Bring a large pot filled with salted water to a boil over high heat. When boiling, add your pasta and cook until just slightly under al dente. It won’t taste quite finished yet. Reserve 1.5 cups of pasta water.

Strain your pasta and set aside. Put the pot back on the stove and add the lemon zest, half of the lemon juice, olive oil, 1 cup of pasta water, and cream. Boil over medium-high heat for a few minutes until reduced slightly. Add your pasta and parmesan cheese and stir until combined. Give it a quick taste for seasoning. If you think it needs more lemon juice, add the rest. If it needs a little more liquid, add the rest of the pasta water. When the liquid is absorbed, remove pot from heat and add the basil.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, parmesan and a few grinds of pepper.