Fresh ingredients make a big difference.
sautee garlic over low heat so it doesn’t burn. Add wine or vermouth for great flavor – but let it reduce and remove the alcohol before adding remaining ingredients.
The recipe is completed in a very short time. The prep of cutting the tomatoes and basil takes the longest. Fresh angel hair pasta is really best – the recipe calls for spinach and egg but I use any angel hair pasta I have in stock. Last night I used a combo of white an high protein/whole wheat angel hair pasta. The recipe calls for white wine to reduce – but we often drink red wine with this dish so I did not want to open a bottle of white just for this recipe. I used, and often substitute dry vermouth which works beautifully.
The fresh basil really makes this dish special – but dried basil can be used when fresh is not available. It is just not as good! I altered the original recipe by adding capers which give a salty and piquant bite to the dish.
4 tbs olive oil 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 1/2 cup dry white wine (or dry vermouth) 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 1/2 cups chopped tomato 1/2 lb angel hair pasta 2 Tbs capers 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 2 Tbs. freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese freshly ground black pepper to taste Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. If using dried pasta, cook for 5 to 6 minutes. If using fresh, wait until you make the sauce. Put the olive oil and garlic in a sauté pan and cook over medium heat just until the garlic begins to brown. Remove the saute pan from the heat and pour in the wine. Return it to the heat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the wine has reduced by half. Stir in the lemon juice and tomato. Remove the pan from the heat. If using fresh pasta, begin to cook now. Once the pasta boils, scoop out about 1 cup of the water and set aside. When pasta is al dente, drain and add it to the pan with the remaining ingredients. Add the capers, basil, parmesan cheese and pepper – toss all together, adding additional pasta water to distribute the tomato and basil and cheese to make a light coating for the pasta – but not a loose sauce. Serve immediately. Original recipe adapted from In the Kitchen with Rosie – Oprah’s Favorite Recipes copyright 1994 by Alphred A. Knopf, Inc.
Angel Hair Pasta with Lemon and Garlic
Serves 4
Preparation time about 15 minutes.
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