Lemon Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook pasta per packet instructions.

When the pasta is nearly done, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water (you need it for the sauce), and stop cooking and draining the pasta when it's al dente.

When the pasta is about 4 minutes away from being done, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and lemon zest and cook for about 60 seconds until it's fragrant and smells nice.

Add only ½ cup of the reserved hot pasta water (keep the rest aside), then the lemon juice, grated parmesan, cream cheese, basil, and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Stir until emulsified and smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking if needed. Turn the heat off.

Now, the spaghetti should be ready and al dente. Drain it and add it to the pan, tossing until well combined and juicy. If needed, add an extra touch of the reserved pasta water.

Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!