Ingredients

  •  1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  •  1/3 cup juice from 2 lemons
  •  2 teaspoons grated zest from 1 lemon
  •  1 small garlic clove, minced to a paste
  •  Salt
  •  2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
  •  Ground black pepper
  •  1pound spaghetti
  •  2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  •  1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, cut in thin strips

Instructions

  1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Meanwhile, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a small bowl, then stir in the Parmesan cheese until thick and creamy; set aside.
     
  2. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the spaghetti into the boiling water and cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and return to the pot. Stir in the olive oil mixture, butter, and basil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve, adding the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce.

PREP TIME: 5 min
TOTAL TIME: 20 min
SERVINGS: 4

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