This is my emergency dinner. The one I make when I've got nothing planned, the fridge is looking grim, and I still want to eat something that doesn't come out of a packet.
Twenty minutes. One pot. And somehow it tastes like you spent an hour on it. The trick is the pasta water — starchy, salty, lemony — it becomes the sauce. No cream required (though I won't judge you if you add a splash).
I've made this probably two hundred times. It hasn't gotten old yet.
What you'll need
— 400g spaghetti or linguine — 3 cloves garlic, finely sliced — Zest and juice of 2 lemons — A big handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped — A handful of fresh basil, torn — 60g parmesan, finely grated (plus extra for serving) — 3 tablespoons good olive oil — A pinch of chilli flakes (optional but recommended) — Salt and black pepper
From the Wooden Collection kitchen: I serve this straight from the pot onto one of our olive wood serving boards — just pile it up, grate the parmesan over the top, and let everyone dig in. The wooden spoon set earns its keep here stirring the pasta without scratching the pan.
Method
Step 1 — Cook the pasta (10 minutes)
Bring a pot of well-salted water to the boil. Cook the pasta until just under al dente — about 1 minute less than the packet says. Before you drain it, scoop out a full mug of the starchy pasta water. You'll need this. Trust me.
Step 2 — Build the sauce (3 minutes)
In the same pot (drained), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for about 60 seconds — you want it fragrant but not brown. The moment it starts to colour, move to the next step.
Step 3 — Bring it together (5 minutes)
Add the pasta back to the pot. Pour in half the pasta water, the lemon zest and juice, and toss everything together over medium heat. Add the parmesan and keep tossing — the starch from the water and the cheese create this silky, glossy sauce that clings to every strand.
If it looks dry, add more pasta water a splash at a time. If it looks soupy, keep tossing over heat until it thickens.
Step 4 — Finish
Kill the heat. Throw in the parsley and basil, season with salt and pepper, and give it one final toss. Serve immediately with extra parmesan on top.
Jacob's tips
On pasta water: This is the secret weapon in Italian cooking and most people tip it down the sink. The starch in that water is what turns lemon juice and oil into a creamy sauce without adding cream. Always save a mugful before draining.
On the lemon: Use the zest AND the juice. The zest gives you the fragrance, the juice gives you the brightness. Without both, the dish falls flat.
On making it a full meal: Toss in a drained tin of chickpeas for protein, or wilt some baby spinach through at the end. Both work brilliantly and keep it vegetarian.
Have a go at this one and tag us on Instagram @woodencollection — I'd love to see your version.