Fettucine with Lemon, Mint, and Parmesan

This disappointing dish came from Martha Stewart Living, a magazine that has recently become a favorite source for simple and delicious recipes in our house. Much to Corey's delight, this recipe was reserved for an evening when he was out of the house and he was not privy to the absolutely horrendous experience of eating this meal. Admittedly, I should have been able to anticipate my reaction to this dish given that the ingredients are simple and all posses strong flavor, but for whatever reason I was not anticipating the overwhelming flavor of mint, which when combined with lemon reminded me of toothpaste. Given that description, clearly this was not the type of flavor I was looking for in a meal and I do not foresee us making this dish ever again.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time : 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried fettuccine
• Coarse salt
• 3 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (1cup), plus more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons julienned lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup torn fresh mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Crushed red-pepper flakes, optional

Directions

1. Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.

2. Transfer pasta to a large bowl, and mix in reserved cooking liquid, cheese, lemon zest and juice, mint, oil and red-pepper flakes if desired. Divide among dishes, garnish with cheese, and serve immediately.

Notes

One simple substitution of basil for mint in this dish might actaully produce a tasty product...something we may try in the future.

Recipe Adapted From: 

Martha Stewart Living