When choosing skinny pasta, it’ll naturally be faster cooking than chubby noodles. And by creative use of a saucepan lid, you’ll actually only need 1 minute of boiling time. That’ll please Mother Nature. And the lovely, light lemony taste of this comforting pasta will please you.

12 oz dry organic whole wheat cappellini or angel hair pasta
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 lemon, zest (grated rind) and juice (3 Tbsp juice; 2 tsp zest)
1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp freshly ground black or white pepper, or to taste
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (1 oz)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup pine nuts (optional) 

1. Add the pasta to a pot of boiling salted water. (Note: Most packages of pasta package directions list how much water in which to cook the pasta. You can reduce that amount by at least 1/4 and still have successfully prepared pasta.) Bring back to a boil. Allow to boil for 1 minute. Cover with lid. Remove from heat. Let sit covered for 8-10 minutes, or until pasta has reached al dente stage. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
2. Place drained pasta back into the dry pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the cream, butter, lemon zest and juice. Cook while stirring for 1 minute, or until the pasta is hot. For a thinner “sauce,” add the reserved pasta cooking liquid. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Pour the pasta into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the cheese and parsley. Top with the pine nuts, if using.

Serves 4/serving size: 1 1/2 cups 

Use it, Don’t Lose it
Whenever a recipe calls for citrus fruit, look for ways to use the peel. Use the peel as a “cup” or “bowl,” like I’ve done in my Pink Grapefruit Cocktail in Grapefruit Cup, instead of dirtying a glass or dish that will need to be washed later. Or grate the peel and use the zest to flavor a variety of savories or sweets. Lemon zest is a lively accent for fish or poultry. It adds intrigue to plain grains. Many baked goods will get a perk from its use, too.