My go-to meal is this pasta dish. I could eat pasta pretty well every day – but it’s a good thing I don’t! The Italians have it right in terms of simplicity – this dish can be as delicious with a few ingredients as with more. Here is my version.

The Main Ingredients
1 lemon zest
Juice of 1 lemon
Good olive oil – 1/4 cup
3-4 cloves crushed and minced fresh garlic
1/2 bunch italian parsley chopped
Course salt to taste
Grated parmesan cheese
1 package of dried of fresh pasta

Bring water to a boil. Add 1 tbsp salt and 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the pasta and cook to instructions.

Meanwhile in a deep skillet:
Slowly heat the olive oil and add the crushed garlic. Sauté for about 1 minute only until soft. Do not brown the garlic! Turn the heat off, when the pasta is cooked, drain and add the oil and garlic mixture toss with lemon zest and lemon juice and a dollop of course salt. Top with parsley and parmesan cheese.

Extra Ingredients
These are all things you can add to this basic dish to the heated olive oil in the pan if you wish:
1/4 cup capers drained
2 tbsp pine nuts
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
1 tsp or to taste – dried hot peppers
Cherry tomatoes sautéed slightly in the oil mixture until wilted
Cooked shrimp or chicken
Grated pepper