Farniente, pasta e rucola

Ah, those lazy summer days, when it’s so damn nice outside that you do not care for the desperate calls of the kitchen and the empty bellys around. You just want to stay there on the terasse, ‘les pieds en eventail’, reading the latest girly magazine, with Pink Martini gently  whispering to you via your ipod… “Que sera, sera…”.

And then, a soft evening breeze is submerging you with the spicy, aromatic fragrance of the lavendel, mint, parsley and basil lavishly dancing with the breeze a few steps away from you. Suddenly you’re hungry too. No way, you’ll leave the terasse for more than three to five minutes though… Well, just long enough to pick a good handful of these addictive fresh herbs, and maybe some of these young rucola leaves too. Some water to boil, a handful of sea salt, spaghetti and olive oil… A sip of chilled rose, a couple of plates on the table outside, diner is ready!

Buon apetito.

Spaghetti with garden greens

Spaguetti aux herbes du jardin

serves 1 pers. (just multiply for more!)
prep: 3 min. cook: 12 min

Ingredients:
50 to 70 g thick spaghetti (I like to use barilla n.7);
a small handful coarse sea salt;
1/2 spring onion, cleaned and thinly chopped;
1 handful fresh herbs (parsley, basil, chives, mint… what you have at hand); cleaned and roughly chopped;
1 handful young salad greens (rocket…);
Some of your favourite olive oil, and fresh lemon juice;  
sea salt, pepper and chili pepper to taste;
as much freshly grated parmeggiano as you like…

 
Bring a large amount of water (salted with the coarse sea salt) to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions (7 to 10 min for al dente spaghetti depending on the brand).

Drain and dress the pasta on a warm plate. Top with the chopped fresh herbs, spring onion and salad greens. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, season to taste with sea salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of chili pepper, sprinkle generously with grated parmeggiano et voila!

Eat right away, while it’s still steaming hot.

Bon appétit!