Lemon-Basil Penne

This recipe is adapted from here. I originally pulled the idea because it seemed like a fresh take on pasta. I wasn't too sure how the tart lemon would taste with the pasta, and it took some getting used to. By the time I finished my leftovers though, I was absolutely loving the flavors. It has a nice, light, summery feel to it that was perfect for the warm weather we had last week.

The original recipe called for fresh basil. My mommy had just planted me some basil for my patio, and I wasn't about to go pick from the baby basil plants. Part of what is fun about cooking is taking the ingredients you have on hand and turning them into something scrumptious, without a lot of time or effort. Therefore, I substituted in some dried basil. If I had fresh basil on hand, I would definitely have used it.

I used, I think, 6 or 7 small lemons to get my lemon juice. There aren't many things I am missing in my kitchen, but one of them was a juicer. Needless to say, after squeezing that many lemons between my palms, I promptly picked up a juicer the next time I was out. My hands smelled lovely all day though.

Lemon-Basil Penne

~ 14.5 oz. penne
1 1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan (the food processor is great for this)
3/4 c. fresh lemon juice
2/3 c. olive oil
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. lemon zest
2 tsp. dried basil (or 2 c. finely chopped fresh basil)

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Stir together the cheese and the lemon juice in a medium mixing bowl. With a hand (or stand) mixer running on medium, slowly pour in the olive oil, and continue to beat until the mixture is thickened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, lemon zest, and basil. Toss with the pasta. Enjoy!