Vegetarian recipe in under ten minutes
This is exactly what I want in a recipe: Fast, easy, simple, cheap, healthy, and incredibly tasty.
If you put the pot of water on even before you take off your coat, then it will be boiling by the time you’ve exchanged your coat for your apron (if you wear one – and does anyone, any more?) and dinner will be on the table ten minutes later.
Which makes this the world’s most perfect weekday vegetarian recipe, doesn’t it?
Vegetarian pasta recipe: Lemon Pine Nut Tagliatelle
This is from The Italian Farmhouse Cookbook by Susan Herrmann Loomis. She’s written a few books, all very worth reading. I serve this with a salad.
1 cup (gently packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Zest of 2 lemons, cut into fine (julienne) strips
1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
Fine sea salt
1 recipe fresh pasta dough cut into tagliatelle (about 1 3/4 pounds)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges (optional)
Mince the parsley and place it in a large shallow bowl. Add the oil, lemon zest, and pine nuts and mix until well combined. Season with salt, cover, and let sit for at least 2 hours at room temperature.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the tagliatelle, stir, and cook until it is al dente (tender but still firm to the bite), 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
Add the hot pasta along with the cooking water immediately to the prepared sauce and toss until the sauce is thoroughly distributed. Season with salt and pepper and toss again.
To serve, use two spoons and carefully scoop up the pasta, making sure to get pine nuts with each serving. Serve with lemon wedges if desired for squeezing atop the pasta.
Pasta perfection
Pasta is the perfect staple for weekday meals – I mean, heat it up, throw in whatever is around, and fast and satisfying and delicious. Don’t believe me? Here are a few more pasta recipes to help change your mind!
- Nicole Kidman’s Crispy Orecchiette with Broccoli, Pine Nuts & Garlic
- Asparagus with Shiitakes, Bowtie Pasta and Spring Peas
- The “To hell with Mario Batali” perfect vegetarian pasta recipe