Pasta with Lemon, Bread Crumbs and Herbs
My husband started pleading his case for a new puppy intermittently last summer. He would work it into casual conversation, mentioning someone he knew with a beautiful puppy. He would occasionally show me pictures of dogs or breeders he found online and make little comments here and there about what fun it would be.
I, of course, completely ignored him every time he brought it up. I would smile and nod and then walk from the room as quickly as possible. I had a million and one reasons as to why a puppy was the craziest idea he had come up with lately. Mostly, we felt a little raw and tender from losing our beloved and very-old golden retriever a few months prior. Not to mention, we already have three busy kids and a handful of farm animals making our life chaotic and messy enough as it is.
House-training a puppy made me grumpy just thinking about it. I smugly assumed a puppy was still in the far-off future (you know where this story is going…) when Aaron trumped all my rational excuses; he got the kids involved. A friend of a friend had a litter of Labrador puppies. They were just a couple weeks old and several were available. We could come see them anytime. Suddenly the conversation went from ‘someday’ to ‘how about now.’ The kids begged and pleaded. They showed me pictures. They made grandiose promises about training, helping and cleaning up.
Finally, I agreed to see the puppies in person. And that was that. A chocolate lab puppy with bright blue eyes stole our hearts. One month later we brought Ryder home. Ryder whimpered and barked frantically through the night unless he slept directly against a heartbeat his first two weeks home. He made messes all over the house. He eats trash out of the garbage and chews everything. He scratches at the door and lays at our feet causing us to trip and stumble. And yet he made his way into the very fabric of our family almost immediately. He was a balm to our souls we didn’t know we needed. His sweet face and happy tail wags, puppy breath and even his happy jumps make us smile and laugh. When you call his name, he often tilts his head to the side as he looks at you, ears perked up, tail wagging before he comes bounding over. We needed him (ok, maybe I needed him) and I’m so glad I didn’t get my way. He follows me throughout the house and his favorite spot is the rug at the kitchen sink. He quickly learned if he lays on the kitchen rug he’s much more likely to be slipped a treat here and there.
As we round the corner on the final stretch of winter, my need for something spring-like and fresh is at an all time high. I impulse bought an entire bag of Meyer lemons because I couldn’t resist the idea of bright citrusy flavors. Two loaves of lemon blueberry bread, a lemony roasted chicken and a big batch of lemon vinaigrette later, I still had lemons to use up.
This lovely pasta dish comes together quickly and easily. Bright lemon zest, crispy panko bread crumbs and a big handful of fresh herbs combine to make a lovely light dish perfect for when you’re aching for spring and sunshine. Easily adaptable, this is a recipe you can make your own, perfecting it to just the way you like. I often add a big handful of arugula to the pasta because I love the slightly bitter greens with the bright lemony pasta. Roasted broccoli or cauliflower added to the pasta would be a lovely addition to make an easy one-pot dinner.
Pasta with Lemon, Bread Crumbs and Herbs
1 pound pasta (fettuccine , spaghetti or pappardelle)
3 tablespoons olive oil divided
3 cloves garlic minced
Zest of two lemons
Juice of two lemons
2 tablespoons salted butter
2/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parley, chives and basil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 cups arugula (optional)
Start by toasting your bread crumbs. Melt butter in large sauce pan over medium heat. When the butter is melted and sizzling, add your bread crumbs to the pan, stirring occasionally until the crumbs are golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
In a large pot of salted water, boil pasta according to package instructions making sure to drain pasta when it is al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and set aside. Zest two lemons, saving the lemons to juice later. Chop fresh herbs. I like a combination of Italian parsley, chives and basil but you can just use parsley and skip the other herbs.
In a large sauté pan, heat two tablespoons olive oil over low heat. Add garlic and lemon zest to the pan, stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant, about two minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and a generous pinch of black pepper. Keep stirring for another minute or two. Add noodles to the pan with a splash of pasta water. Add the juice of two lemons over the pasta along with the chopped herbs. Toss gently to combine. Turn heat off.
Sprinkle the dish with a generous pinch of kosher salt and the parmesan cheese. Taste to make sure the flavors are to your liking. Adjust to your preferences with more salt, cheese or herbs. Just before serving, garnish pasta with the toasted bread crumbs. If you are adding the arugula, add the greens just before serving. They will wilt slightly but keep their texture and flavor. Serve immediately. Pasta serves four dinner portions.