Spaghetti with Lemon – Two Ways - by Gynelle Alves

The beauty about both these recipes is that they are on table in minutes. Made with the most basic of ingredients, a good quality olive oil goes a long way in heartening the flavors. If you want a bit more of something to effortlessly gild your reputation as unruffled, domestic goddess, slivers of fire-roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, toasted pine-nuts, pan-seared mushroom, zucchini, shrimp all work well.

This Way:

Ingredients:

400 gms dried spaghetti

1/5^th cup extra virgin olive oil (plus a splash more)

Juice of 2 very juicy large lemons

Finely grated lemon zest of that lemon

4 fat garlic cloves, finely slivered

2 little red chilies finely slivered (optional)

Bit of freshly chopped parsley (optional)

salt and freshly milled black pepper

Parmesan shavings

Method:

Cook pasta in a saucepan of salted boiling water as per instructions. Drain very well. In the now emptied saucepan, add olive oil, garlic, chili, lemon zest. Stir around on low heat for half a minute or so. Immediately add the drained pasta and toss on medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper and lemon juice and toss some more.

Serve warm with shavings of parmesan.

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That Way:

Ingredients:

400 gms dried spaghetti

Juice of 2-3 large lemons + finely grated zest

¼ cup real butter

1 cup double cream

1 cup grated parmesan (plus a little more)

Generous pinch of good quality saffron strands soaked in 2 tbsp hot water

Salt and freshly milled black pepper

Method:

Cook pasta in a saucepan of salted boiling water as per instructions. While the pasta is cooking, in another smaller pan, pour the lemon juice. Add the butter, cream, salt and pepper to taste. Let this just come to a bubble then lower the heat, add saffron and let it simmer for 3-5 minutes till the sauce reduces a bit. Drain the pasta well and return to the pan. Add parmesan and lemon rind then add the lemon sauce and toss well. Serve warm with a bit more parmesan on top.