Recipe: Lemon garlic pasta

Photo by Super Silent GSome ingredients are lifesavers.

They're those staple items that come to your aid when your fridge is looking bleak and your pantry even bleaker. They turn a meal that would otherwise have a flavor profile that's a cross between paper and air into something that just might be worthy of inviting the neighbors over for. 

For me, those two ingredients are lemons and garlic. 

They superheroed and sidekicked their way onto my weekly grocery list years ago, and now I never let my kitchen go without them. At any given moment, they're ready to save the day--or at least a bland dish, such as chicken or pasta.

Along with having some major flavor guns, lemons and garlic are also packed with all kinds of health benefits. Garlic is a natural antibiotic and aids the cardiovascular system. Lemon is a powerful antibacterial, leaves off alkaline residues in the body and aids in digestion. 

Let's hear it for the power couple! 

Lemon Garlic Pasta
(Serves 4-6)

1 pound spaghetti noodles
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup basil, chiffonade
1 cup pecorino romano, grated
1/4 cup olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

In a large pot, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook for 8 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Set the pasta aside. 

Over a medium-low heat, add the olive oil, butter and garlic to the pot you cooked the pasta in. Sauteé the garlic for 2 minutes. Add the pasta, cheese, pepper and reserved pasta water, and cook for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the lemon zest, lemon juice and basil. Toss to combine and serve.