Creamy Lemon Pasta With Fried Pine Nuts

In a small pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pine nuts, and cook, stirring constantly, until toasty. Spoon the pine nuts onto a plate and sprinkle with salt. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta, stirring frequently, one minute less than al dente according to package directions. Remember to reserve 1 1/2 c. of pasta water before draining!

While pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and cream until emulsified. Let cool over low heat, stirring frequently, until the pasta is finished cooking.

Add 1/2 cup of pasta water to the sauce and stir until smooth and slightly thickened. Toss the drained pasta with the sauce, and add the grated Parmesan in small handfuls until melted and smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add more splashes of pasta water until nice and creamy – I usually end up using about 1 cup total.** Taste, and add salt if necessary.

Divide the pasta between four bowls. Top with the fried pine nuts, basil, more Parmesan, and black pepper. Enjoy!