Garlicky spaghetti with peas and parmesan
Spaghetti tossed in olive oil slowly infused with garlic, with sweet peas, lemon and a snow of parmesan, the late-night Italian classic with a little green added.
- 20 min total
- 15 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 2
- About $2.19 a serving
- 910 calories
- Vegetarian
Dolly says: I’d make this on a weeknight. It’s on the table in 20 minutes.
Ingredients
For 2 servings.
- 8 oz spaghetti
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ½ lemon, zested, then cut into wedges
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
From your pantry
- 1 tbsp salt, for the pasta water, plus more to taste
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 910 calories, 26 g protein, 102 g carbs and 45 g fat, and costs about $2.19 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No spaghetti? Fettuccine works.
- No frozen peas? Frozen mixed vegetables work.
- No lemons? Limes work.
- No grated parmesan? Parmesan wedge works.
- No fresh parsley? Cilantro works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Bring a large pot of water over high heat and add 1 tablespoon salt.
Bring to a boil. It means heating a liquid on high until it’s fully boiling before you move on. A lid on the pot gets it there faster, which makes it a good moment to chop something.
How you’ll know: Big bubbles break all over the surface, and they keep coming when you lift the lid.
High heat
Dolly’s tip: It should taste like the sea. That’s the only chance the pasta gets to be seasoned inside.While it heats, the garlic and the lemon.
Thinly slice. Thinly slicing means cutting slices about an eighth of an inch thick, roughly two coins stacked. Thin slices cook in seconds and soften fast, which quick dishes need.
How you’ll know: A slice bends a little when you hold it by one edge, and slow, steady cuts beat fast ones.
Zest. Zest is the thin, colored outer layer of citrus peel, rubbed off on the smallest holes of a grater. It holds the fruit’s fragrant oils, so it adds bright flavor without the sourness of juice.
How you’ll know: You see bright flecks and smell citrus right away; stop when you reach the white layer, which is bitter.
Cook the spaghetti, stirring now and then, 1 minute less than the package says. Add the peas for the last minute.
High heatTimer: 9 min
While the pasta cooks, put the oil and garlic in a large over low heat. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, swirling the pan, until the garlic is pale and smells sweet.
Skillet. A skillet is a frying pan: wide and flat with low, sloped sides. The shape lets steam escape, so food browns instead of stewing.
How you’ll know: It’s the pan you’d fry an egg in, and a 10 or 12 inch one handles most recipes.
Golden brown. Golden brown is the color of good toast, somewhere between yellow and light brown. It means the outside is cooked and crisp but not burnt.
How you’ll know: It looks like toast and smells toasty; dark brown with a bitter smell means it went too far.
Low heatTimer: 4 min 30 sec
Dolly’s tip: Pale gold, not brown. Browned garlic tastes bitter.Before , scoop out 1 cup of the with a mug. Then drain the spaghetti and peas.
Drain. Draining means pouring off liquid, like tipping pasta into a colander or spooning extra fat out of the pan. Pour hot grease into a can or jar, not the sink, where it hardens and clogs the pipes.
How you’ll know: Only a few drips are left, and the food isn’t sitting in a puddle.
Reserve pasta water. It means scooping out a cup of the starchy cooking water before you drain the pasta. A splash helps the sauce cling and turn silky, and it’s the step everyone forgets.
How you’ll know: A mug of cloudy water is sitting by the stove before the pasta goes into the colander.
Dolly’s tip: Don’t skip the pasta water. Its starch turns oil and cheese into a silky sauce.Stir the red pepper flakes into the garlic oil, then add the spaghetti, peas and ½ cup . over medium heat 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce clings.
Reserve pasta water. It means scooping out a cup of the starchy cooking water before you drain the pasta. A splash helps the sauce cling and turn silky, and it’s the step everyone forgets.
How you’ll know: A mug of cloudy water is sitting by the stove before the pasta goes into the colander.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Medium heatTimer: 1 min 30 sec
Take the pan off the heat. Add the parmesan, lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon and the black pepper and again, adding more if it looks dry.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Reserve pasta water. It means scooping out a cup of the starchy cooking water before you drain the pasta. A splash helps the sauce cling and turn silky, and it’s the step everyone forgets.
How you’ll know: A mug of cloudy water is sitting by the stove before the pasta goes into the colander.
Dolly’s tip: Adding the cheese off the heat keeps it silky instead of clumpy.Taste for salt and serve right away, with parsley on top and lemon wedges on the side.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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