Months ago, I went to Trader Joe’s to pick up a pack of fettuccine. I didn’t expect the store to have what I really wanted, lemon-pepper pasta, yet there it was. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s in your vicinity, the fettuccine will do. Use what you have, and better yet, use what’s in season–like the sweet, fresh peas I picked up at the farmers market.
This dish has a thousand variations. I’ve made spicy spaghetti and shrimp, linguine with arugula and cremini mushrooms and the latest–lemon-pepper papardelle with spring peas. It’s the technique I learned for making it that puts dinner on the table in 15 minutes.
This is the way we’d make the popular asparagus-and-sun-dried-tomato fettuccine–another tasty combo–at a restaurant I worked at last year. I took the method home and ran with it. At the time, I usually planned a pasta dish around a from-scratch tomato sauce that took hours to simmer or a heavy, creamy, white sauce. There’s a time and a place for those, but this recipe is simple, light and versatile.
Mom's garden is coming along at a snail's pace. Lettuce sprouts.
There are a few key elements to the recipe:
The pasta (any, though dried works better than fresh)
The fat (oil, butter or both)
The acid (wine, vinegar and/or citrus)
The allium (garlic, shallots, chives*)
*If using chives, chop and mix them in at the end.
I usually include something green like asparagus, broccoli or peas. Sometimes I just thrown in some shrimp. Whatever I have or I’m craving works. Sautee a 1/4 teaspoon of red chili pepper flakes for a touch of spice. Finish off with fresh herbs, a twist of lemon and a pinch of Parmesan.
The key is to unwind and make a quick, but delicious meal for yourself that isn’t a bowl of cereal or a quesadilla.
Lemon-Pepper Pasta with Spring Peas
Serves one
Ingredients:
♥ 1 handful of pasta, lemon-pepper or plain fettuccine
♥ 1 tablespoon butter
♥ 1 tablespoon olive oil
♥ 1 tablespoon shallots, sliced
♥ 1 quarter of a lemon
♥ White wine–a glug or so
♥ 1 handful of fresh (or frozen) peas
♥ Salt, pepper to taste
♥ A few leaves of basil, hand torn
♥♥♥ Optional: Parmesan cheese.
Method:
Put some music on and pour a glass of wine. Set a pot of water on to boil.
Slice the shallots, if you haven’t already, and cut the lemon too.
Once the water comes to a boil, add salt and stir in the pasta.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and oil. When the butter is just melted, add the shallots. Cook until the shallots begin to turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Pour in a couple of glugs of wine. If flames burst out, don’t worry, just pull the skillet off the stove for a second until they go away. Cook for a minute or so.
About now, the noodles are probably done–taste them, drain them, set them aside.
Add the peas to the skillet. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add the pasta and arugula and toss to combine. Serve into a bowl or onto a plate. Top with a few hand-torn basil leaves, a squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper. Parmesan is a nice touch too.
Mr. Beaver is hanging in there. Saffy's latest toy victim.
