Almond spaghetti

Method

1. Put the almonds in hot oil; as they brown, drain them, rub them with a cloth to take the external skin away and break them into pieces.
2. Brown the garlic and the hot pepper in a large pan with hot oil. Cook the spaghetti in plenty of salty water, drain them al dente and pan-fry them with the dressing. 
3. Off the heat add the freshly squeezed lemon juice, the grated zest, the broken almonds and the minced parsley. 
4. Mix and serve.

Chef's tip

Since we are using the zest of the lemon, you might want to get organic or at least unwaxed ones. Not only it will be healthier, but the zest itself will have a nicer taste!

Serving suggestion

As minimalist as this dish is, it goes perfectly with a green leafy salad and some crusty bread.

Wine selection

White wine such as Chardonnay Sicilia DOC, Pinot gris, Vermentino..

Family tip

If you don't have the time to peel the almonds you can directly buy ready peeled ones. You can then toast them in a pan (make sure it doesn't overheat) or in a ventilated oven at 150°C. Toss them around regularly with a wooden spoon until they get a slightly golden colour.

Dish history

There is a well-known, super easy pasta recipe Italians love to eat. It’s almost the symbol of the 'Italian fast food' and it's called 'pasta aglio, olio e peperoncino', that is pasta with garlic, oil, and hot chillies. Whenever you’re hungry but don’t have much time to cook, this recipe comes as a most welcome solution! The recipe we are suggesting you here is a variation on the 'pasta aglio, olio e peperoncino'-theme: by adding lemon juice, lemon zest, toasted broken almonds and parsley you still manage to make it a very quick and easy dish while giving it a different, probably more summery twist! Give it a try and enjoy!