Test Kitchen Tuesday: Spaghetti Limone Parmeggiano

They say there is no substitute for fresh herbs, and I think fresh basil is one of the best. It is so fragrant! It reminds me of what summer smells like. I wish I was closer to smelling summer, but, alas, I will live vicariously through the basil.

With that kind of lead in, you probably realized that week’s Test Kitchen Tuesday uses fresh basil! It comes from Gwyneth Paltrow’s new cookbook, My Father’s Daughter.

On first glance, this dish seemed a lot like a dish 2Chili used to order at the Olive Garden. With only seven non-specialty ingredients, it’s affordable, relatively healthy, and very fast to pull together (basically, unlike a visit from the Olive Garden on all three levels!).

Spaghetti Limone Parmeggiano

Original Recipe: My Father’s Daughter, Gwyneth Paltrow

Time Required: 15 minutes, start-to-finish

Skill Level (out of 5): 1

2Chili’s Taster Rating (out of 5): 4

His exact quote on this dish was “You know, it’s a fine line with lemon, but this did not offend me.” Trust me, with 2Chili, that’s a good thing.

The Cook’s Taster Rating (out of 5): 4

It’s rare that we agree! I thought this was good. Not off the charts spectacular, but, a solidly good meal that was so easy to make. I mean, it doesn’t get much easier, and it was a nice change from just pasta with red sauce.

Nutrition:

The Verdict:
This was a nice light-feeling (though had substantial enough calories so you’re not hungry an hour later) dinner. I can see it being a good cold pasta salad, and may make it that way in the hotter summer months, if those ever do make it to Seattle this year. It’s so simple and easy, it will likely make it into our rotation every so often, especially when the basil is fresh from the garden!