Easy Garlic and Lemon Pasta

This is one of my favorite pastas. If it's been one of those busy days and I don't have much time to cook, this is what I make. It's super garlicky, a bit spicy, and very bright from the lemon and parsley. It's simple but full of flavor. And it's always comforting to sit down to a bowl of spaghetti, especially after a busy day.

1 lb of spaghetti
1 28-oz can of whole peeled tomatoes, crushed with hands *
1/2 cup of water

6 large garlic cloves, minced
juice of one lemon, plus the zest
handful of parsley, chopped fine
2 pinches of red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
Olive Oil

Olive oil, pepper, salt

Bring pot of water to a rapid boil for the pasta.

Add olive oil to a large saute pan, enough to coat the bottom. Warm with low to medium/low heat. Once olive oil warms, add the minced garlic. Allow the garlic to flavor the oil for about 3-5 minutes. Garlic should not burn since the oil was heated at a lower temperature.

Tomatoes, lemon, garlic, parsley and pasta. Simple on-hand ingredients.

Add the tomatoes with their juices, water, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes on medium. As you stir, further crush the tomatoes with the back of your spoon.

About 15 minutes into cooking the tomato sauce (pasta water should be boiling now), add pasta to boiling water and cook al dente according to package directions. I like to cook it a minute under the al dente package recommended time.

When the pasta is ready, add a handful of parsley and lemon zest to the tomato sauce. Add the pasta to the sauce. Turn off the heat.

If during the cooking process the sauce thickens too much, add a little starchy pasta water.

* If tomatoes are in season, or if you have tomatoes on hand, use 8 large juicy tomatoes on the vine. Dice them to large chunks and cook as you would above, in place of the canned tomatoes.