Avocado and Lemon Zest Spaghetti from ‘A Modern Way To Eat’

Photograph by Brian Ferry

From Yahoo Food’s Cookbook of the Week: A Modern Way To Eat by Anna Jones

Avocado and Lemon Zest Spaghetti
Serves  4

At my house supper is almost always quick, but it has to be flavor- and nutrition-packed, and this hits all the right notes.

I tend to use whole wheat spaghetti as it works really well with the avocado. Whole wheat spaghetti will soak up more oil than the other kinds, though, so you may need to add a trickle more at the end.

I prefer to use the capers that come sitting in little jars of brine. I find the salt-crusted ones just too salty, even if they are washed. Use whichever you prefer but remember all capers are salty, so be sparing about adding more salt.

I often top this pasta with a poached egg, partly because it makes a more filling dinner but also because of the sunshine yellow sauce it makes for the pasta. Definitely try it.

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound dried spaghetti of your choice (I use whole wheat, but rice, quinoa, or regular spaghetti will work too)
Olive oil
4 tablespoons capers in brine, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and very finely sliced
Grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons, and juice of ½ a lemon
A bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked a bunch of fresh parsley, leaves picked
2 ripe avocados

Fill a big pan with water and add a good pinch of salt. Bring to a rolling boil, add the pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or according to the package instructions, until perfectly al dente.

Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan over low heat, then add the capers and garlic, and sauté gently until the edges of the garlic start to very slightly brown. Remove from the heat and add the lemon zest.

Chop the herbs and add them to the pan. Halve and pit the avocados, then use a knife to make criss-cross cuts through the flesh, chopping it inside the skin. Use a spoon to scoop out each half into the pan, and stir to mix all the flavors together.

Before you drain the pasta, carefully scoop out half a cupful of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and add it to the frying pan with a little of the cooking water and a good drizzle of olive oil. Taste and add salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed. Scoop the pasta into bowls and eat on your lap.

Reprinted with permission from A Modern Way To Eat by Anna Jones (Ten Speed Press).

More easy summer pasta recipes:

Any-Way-You-Want-It Spaghetti Is Our Favorite Summer Pasta

Have Guacamole for Dinner With This Pasta Salad Recipe

Audrey Hepburn’s Spaghetti al Pomodoro