Greek Style Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup

Yum

Nothing says comfort like a hearty bowl of chicken soup.

Winter is the time to use all the citrus you can.  Lemons are in abundance right now and they brighten up any dish.  So if you are a little under the weather, or just want hot comfort food on a cold day turn to my Greek Style Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup. 

This soup is full of hearty vegetables and tender chicken in a bright lemony broth.  This is sooooo comforting it will satisfy you any night of the week.  PLUS, it's easy to make!

GREEK STYLE LEMONY CHICKEN AND ORZO SOUP

If you have some leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken handy you can throw this soup together in about 30-45 minutes.  That's perfect for a weeknight meal!

I cooked the pasta separately and added it to the soup at the end so that it doesn't absorb all the broth.  I've found out the hard way that this tiny pasta can really drink up all your broth!  Also, the lemon and fresh parsley are added at the end as well for a bright and fresh finish.  To flavor the broth even more I added whole sprigs of rosemary and thyme.  Make sure that you watch them and take them out before the rosemary falls off from the stems.  (Another lesson learned on one of my previous soups!)  I just don't like the hard woody stems floating around in my broth. (I'm picky that way)

I used my multi-purpose pot to make the soup.  It's large enough to hold it all well and cooks evenly.  I love this pot and use it with many of my dishes.  You can find it here.

Serve this with my Simple Garlic Cheese Bread for a great side dish.  With the flavors of Parmesan and garlic these make great dippers for your soup. 

Kitchen Tip:  #1 The cooked orzo is added just before serving. If added to the soup earlier, it will absorb too much of the broth and become mushy.
#2 Only keep the sprigs of rosemary and thyme in the simmering broth for about 10 minutes and then remove before they separate from their stems.


Enjoy!




Greek Style Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup

serves 6

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup carrots, sliced or diced
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
4 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1/2 cup dry orzo pasta
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
salt and black pepper to taste

In a large pot over medium heat sweat your onions, celery, carrots and garlic until softened, about 10 minutes.

Add broth, water, bay leaves, thyme and rosemary sprigs.  Increase heat to high and bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the pasta in a pot of boiling salted water according to the package directions.  Drain and set aside.

Add in chicken and orzo.  Simmer until chicken is heated through.  About 10 minutes.  Add parsley, zest and lemon juice right before serving.  Season with salt and pepper as well.

Italian Style Roasted Chicken and Orzo Soup

Yum

About a week ago I brought you a recipe for Mediterranean Chicken Salad in which I roasted the chicken breasts.  I actually roasted 5 bone-in chicken breasts to use for various dishes, but today's recipe, Italian Style Roasted Chicken and Orzo Soup, was the main inspiration. 

You see, we had a taste of fall weather around here.  Finally! It was cloudy and cool, even a little rain.  So even when we get a hint of a change in the weather I think of comfort food, particularly soup.  So roasted chicken breasts it is.  All for one of the most comforting Italian style soups!  I have the BEST recipe for roasted chicken breasts that you must try.  You can find the recipe here. 

Roasting chicken for this soup gives it a deeper flavor and keeps the chicken moist and tender.  You can of course skip the roasted chicken and use a rotisserie chicken instead and it will work just fine.  But why not roast up from chicken to use in several dishes for the week?  The addition of orzo pasta, along with some Italian spices makes this chicken soup something a little more special.  The dried herbs give it a little zip and the fresh basil at the end gives the soup a brightness you can't beat. 

Italian Style Roasted Chicken and Orzo Soup is comfort food at it's best.  It's family and kid friendly and perfect for a weekend meal.  Serve up a hot bowl of soups with my Simple Garlic Cheese Bread and a simple Italian salad for a great meal.

Enjoy!




Italian Style Roasted Chicken and Orzo Soup


2 tablespoons butter
1 large sweet onion, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups carrots, diced
2 cups celery, diced
2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp dried oregano
1 lb roasted chicken breasts, skin removed and shredded or cut into chunks
10 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup whole wheat orzo
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black ground pepper 
Garnish:  fresh basil leaves, torn or left whole


In a Dutch oven over medium heat, add butter to hot pan.  Add onions and saute for 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.  Add the carrots, celery, Italian seasoning, and oregano and saute for another 5-8 minutes.

Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.  Add roasted chicken breasts and the orzo.  Cook for 10 minutes until orzo is tender and chicken has warmed.  Season with salt and pepper. 

To serve:  Ladle warm soup into individual bowls and add basil. 

Note:  Recipe for roasted chicken breasts:  Roasting 101: Chicken Breasts or use a rotisserie chicken about 2 - 2 1/2 cups.

Fresh Italian Pesto Pasta Salad

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We are still hanging on to summer in Los Angeles as the weather is alternating between very hot, to mild.  It's that time when it is noticeable that the season is starting to change. 

We've eaten salads all summer long and I'm not stopping yet.  I'm going to make all my summer favorites until the leaves fall.  Pasta salad is a classic dish and I love it.  So I thought I'd make one more for good measure.  Something a little different this time, just for fun.

I must confess that I'm addicted to visiting Barnes and Noble and sitting there having an iced tea and pastry while reading special edition cooking magazines.  I also might be know to buy a few!  So browsing one by BHG I came across a wonderful Italian Pesto Pasta Salad.  I also found the recipe on line and you can view it here.

This recipe was calling my name, and I know that MGG loves pesto.  I decided to make this Fresh Italian Pesto Pasta so we could munch on this throughout the week.  I followed their recipe with the exception of substituting the elbow macaroni with rotini.  The jarred pesto really helps pulling this together quickly.  I also wilted the arugula on the hot pasta as it was draining to give it a different texture. 

Fresh Italian Pesto Pasta Salad - Another summer staple

Tender white beans, spicy arugula and toasted pine nuts really go well with the pesto.  Topped with fresh grated parmesan set's this off with a salty bite that finishes this dish beautifully.

Serve this along side grilled chicken or fish. You can easily make this in 30 minutes.   It's light and flavorful and has the fresh ingredients that go so well together.  If you love pasta salads then this will need to be in your recipe box.  It will quickly become a family favorite.

Enjoy!




Fresh Italian Pesto Pasta Salad

serves 10

8 oz of rotini pasta
1 7oz jar of basil pesto
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 15oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups baby arugula
1/4 c pine nuts, toasted
Freshly grated parmesan

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water; set aside.

In a large bowl stir together pesto, vinegar, and salt. Add beans, pasta, arugula, and the pine nuts. Toss well. At this point you may serve it or refrigerate several hours.  Top with freshly grated cheese before serving.

One Pot Tortellini with Sausage and Spinach in a Tomato Basil Sauce

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Do you ever get a craving for something that you think is strange?

Well I do.  Every now and then I crave marinara sauce, or meat sauce.  Any red Italian sauce actually.  I know, I think it's strange too.  It's not the pasta that I'm craving (although who doesn't crave pasta!) but it's actually the sauce.  I know this because I can have a delicious chicken Parmesan dripping with marinara and be perfectly satisfied without any pasta.

So this 'red sauce' craving hit me big time over the long holiday weekend.  I mean I was rooting through my food on hand looking for anything I could make that a red sauce would go on.  I only had 1 can of diced tomatoes on hand!  How could that be???  I'm always stocked, but not on the day the craving hit.  Figures....but I did find a jar of a yummy tomato basil sauce in a jar that I had hidden away.  So it hit me that will make a variation of a one pot dish that I love, Ravioli Florentine which is a family favorite. 

Oh boy, no ravioli to be found in the frig or the freezer, but I did find some tortellini.  Bingo!  Substitution time, and with a few alterations on the original dish I came up with a winner!

Adding a nice Italian turkey sausage to the sauce gave it some body and wonderful spicy flavor.  The flavors of fresh basil add a fresh taste that jazzes it up.  Just look at this meaty sauce! 

All in one pot.  Don't you love that?  Plus the clean up is a breeze and I hate doing dishes!  This would work great as a weeknight meal as it can be done in 30 minutes.  So the result is we both loved it, and it satisfied my craving...until next time.

Enjoy!



One Pot Tortellini with Sausage and Spinach in a Tomato Basil Sauce

serves 4

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lb turkey Italian sausage, casings removed (about 3 links)

1/2 (24 oz) jar tomato basil sauce

1 (14.5 oz) can finely diced tomatoes

1/4 cup water

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 (9 oz) pkg refrigerated cheese tortellini

2 cups packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped

salt & pepper to taste 

2 Tbsp basil, chopped

Heat olive oil in a large skillet medium heat. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds then add sausage using a wooden spoon to break it into pieces as it browns.  Cook until it is cooked through, about 6-7 minutes.  

Add in tomato basil sauce, tomatoes, water, and seasoning and bring to a simmer. Add tortellini making sure they are covered in the sauce.  Cook on medium low about 10 minutes until pasta is tender.  Stir occasionally.  Add spinach and season with black pepper and salt if needed.   Cook several minutes until spinach has wilted.  Remove from heat and sprinkle with chopped basil.  

Springtime Pasta Salad

Yum

The weather is warming up, we are grilling outdoors more and I'm in the mood for summer.

Summer is "salad season".  Actually every season is salad season for those people trying to eat healthy.  I try, I really try. Fresh foods are our daily goal and we've been doing a great job of cutting out the processed foods.  Yea!

Summer reminds me of farmers markets with their abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables.  So this does spur me on to eat a lot more light and fresh salads.  

A sub-category of salads is Pasta Salads.  Hurray for pasta! I really like my pasta salads.  You can use all types of different pasta shapes and then you can customize what goes in it! Make a theme of it....are you feeling Greek today? How about a Greek pasta salad.  Or maybe you feel a little Mediterranean or even straight up American.  You can tailor a pasta salad by the veggie or ingredients you use to fit your theme.

Today, I'm feel Springy.  Fresh and light.  So I created a Springtime Pasta Salad loaded with asparagus, artichoke hearts and more.  It is the perfect as a side dish to a picnic, BBQ, or pot-luck.  

It's made with a vinaigrette so it keeps really well, and since there is "no mayo" you don't have to worry about the temperature.  

The 4th of July is coming up soon....keep this in mind.

Enjoy!




Springtime Pasta Salad

1/2 lb tri-color rotini pasta

1/2 bunch of asparagus
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
1 c cherry tomatoes halved or quartered if large
1/2 can quartered artichoke hearts, chopped

1/3 c feta cheese, crumbled (more for sprinkling)
1/2 package dry, Italian-style salad dressing mix
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbls balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper 

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Cook al dente. During the last 1 minute of cooking add the asparagus to the water with the pasta. Allow to cook 1 minute and remove with a slotted spoon to a cutting board. Drain pasta. Allow to cool 5 minutes. Cut asparagus in 1 inch pieces and add to a large bowl.

Add red and orange bell peppers, tomatoes, chopped artichoke hearts and feta cheese to the bowl. Add cooled pasta and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the dried salad dressing mix and cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

In a small mason jar add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Shake to combine. Set aside.

When ready to serve toss the pasta salad with enough dressing to coat well. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.

Skillet Meal: Wild Mushroom Ravioli Lasagna

I love quick meals!

I love one skillet dinners!

I'm so excited to share this 20 minute....YES, 20 MINUTE recipe with you today.

I found it one of my many collections of recipe magazines. This one was one pot meals by BHG (love them) and I'm so glad I tried this.  I was a little skeptical because you literally just throw everything in the pot (in stages) and poof!  Dinner is ready in 20 minutes....or less!

The real test though, was the taste.  This says it's a lasagna. Well technically it isn't layered like one, but if you count that the two sides of the ravioli, with stuffed delicious wild mushrooms inside, actually act like layered lasagna, then I guess it is.   Plus you delicately layer little dollops of ricotta cheese mixture over the top.  I love that.  It's not completely filled with cheese so you save on the calories, however you still get that ooey gooey lasagna cheesiness that we all crave.

The taste?  Let's just say this will be in the rotation around here.  And just a little tip from me...make extra if you want leftovers.  Our 4 portion serving didn't last long since I caught MGG eating our lunch leftovers later that night...just sayin'!

The other part, is that this dish uses mainly convenience items, like refrigerated pasta.  I used Rana (Giovanni Rana) Mushroom Ravioli and it was delishhh!  You can use any fresh or frozen ravioli you choose although the mushroom lends a wonderful earthy meatiness to the dish.  You will also need a really good tomato basil Marinara sauce from a jar. Use your favorite that provides you will great flavor.  So don't be worried that you didn't make your own sauce.  This is a 20 minute meal!   If you made the sauce, and the pasta from scratch...phew!  That would take hours.  Who has time for that, especially on a weeknight?  Not me!   There is nothing wrong with using fresh packaged items to make your life easier.


Try this....really, and enjoy!




Wild Mushroom Ravioli Lasagna

adapted from BHG magazine Skillet Suppers

serves 4

1 egg, lightly beaten
7 oz. skim milk ricotta cheese (from a 15oz container)
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 1/2 cups of tomato basil marinara
3/4 cup water
1 family size package of wild mushroom-filled ravioli (I used Rana's brand 22 oz.)
1 cup chopped fresh spinach

In a medium bowl combine egg, ricotta cheese, and the Parmesan cheese; set aside.

In a large skillet or braising pan, over medium heat, combine the pasta sauce and water. Bring it to a boil.   Stir in ravioli and spinach.  Return to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.  Spoon the ricotta mixture into large mounds on top of ravioli mixture.

Simmer, covered, about 10 minutes or until ricotta mixture is set and ravioli is tender but still firm.  

Serve immediately.

Ground Beef Stroganoff

Thank heavens for Pinterest!

The other day I had thawed a pound of ground sirloin with the intention of making a wonderful spaghetti sauce.  Then I found out that MGG had eaten spaghetti for lunch that day, so here I was with a pound of ground sirloin and no inspiration at all.  My plans were thwarted...and at this point I wanted to make something different than the usual burger, burrito, or taco.

Off to Pinterest I went in search for recipes using ground beef and came across a pin called, One Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff from the blog, Taste and Tell.  This looked to be interesting enough to try.  I mean I love Beef Stroganoff that includes steak, but I've never tried it with ground beef. Would it be beefy enough?  

The other plus about this recipe is that it is all made in one pot.  Gotta love that, as clean up is a breeze.  Since this was a first for us I decided to make the recipe but cut it in half for the two of us and save some of the ground sirloin for tostadas another day.  Still, cutting it in half it made plenty of left overs for MGG to take to work the next day.

This was a quick, tasty, and comforting meal.  A perfect weeknight meal.  One that MGG really loved.  Another dinner saved by the fabulous pins on Pinterest!

Enjoy!


Ground Beef Stroganoff

Slightly adapted from:  Taste and Tell

serves 4


2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
salt and pepper
1/4 cup diced onion
1 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb ground sirloin
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 cups low sodium beef broth
4 oz farfalle pasta
1/4 cup sour cream
fresh parsley, for serving

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a pot or large skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from the pot into a bowl and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoons of oil in the same pot. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add the ground beef and continue to cook, breaking up the beef with a spoon as it cooks, until it is browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Sprinkle the paprika over the top and stir to combine.

Pour in the beef broth and the pasta. Bring to a light boil then cover the pot. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente, 17-20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the mushrooms and sour cream.

Serve topped with fresh parsley.

Winter Comfort Food: Chicken Noodle Casserole

Winter nights call for comfort food.

And comfort food reminds me of my mom's homemade egg noodles.  We had them every holiday and they really say "comfort".  Even better than this dish was her addition of leftover turkey to the noodles for an all in one comfort food meal.  It was sort of like a chicken pot pie filling without the veggies...noodles, turkey, and a thick chicken broth.  I can just see it, and my mouth is watering!

So I was digging through my mom's recipe box the other day and came across a scribbled recipe on an old card titled "Chicken Noodle Casserole".  I not sure where this came from but I definitely know why she kept it so long.  It's a reminder of our leftover turkey and noodles! A chicken version, and without all the work of making homemade egg noodles.

The memories came flooding back as I read the recipe and I knew this was next on my list of dishes to make.  It's simple to put together using leftover shredded chicken, or you can get a rotisserie chicken to help you out.  Then just buy a wide egg noodle that you like, to compliment the dish.  The rest are creamy ingredients such as sour cream, milk, cheese, butter.  Add a little aromatics and spices and you have one yummy casserole. (Need I say more?)

So I made this and I wasn't disappointed one bit!  It was everything I thought it would be.  Creamy, tasty, hot and comforting.  The noodles combined with the chicken and all the creaminess is a combo you can't beat.  It brought me back, and now we can have that comforting feeling anytime we want!

This is a dish the whole family will love.  Enjoy this on a cold winter night!

Chicken Noodle Casserole

serves 6

2 cups wide egg noodles, uncooked

2 Tbls oil
1 small onion, sliced
1 tsp powdered garlic
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbls flour
1 cup milk
3 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
salt & pepper
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a saucepan cook noodles according to package directions. 

Meanwhile, In a medium sauce pan add oil and heat over medium heat.  Add onion and saute until softened.  Add garlic and red pepper flakes.  Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to cook the flour slightly.  Add milk and 2 cups of cheese.  Stir until cheese is melted.  Season with salt & pepper.

Drain your noodles and place them in a bowl.  Add the chicken, sour cream to the noodles noodles.  Add the cheese mixture and stir to combine.  Pour into a 9x13 (sprayed with cooking spray) casserole dish.  Top with 1 cup of cheese. Bake 30 minutes.  Serve.

Date Night Continued: Risotto with Mushrooms and Sage

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Every so often we need to put a little romance in the mix.

I thrive on the energy I get from going out, whether it may be a night out walking around the new 'Village' or trying a new restaurant, or listening to a live band.  I just love it!  MGG, not so much.  He doesn't get that same excitement level I get from a crowd.  

He likes to slow down, relax, and have a nice quiet, romantic evening in a quiet cafe or preferably at home.  This has led me to create some of our date nights, at home.  Setting the mood with candlelight, mood music, and a themed dinner helps create that intimate atmosphere.

Planning the menu if a fun part of the task in creating the event.  This night was a riff on an Italian theme that I deemed a "Night in Rome".  The menu consisted of a succulent Balsamic Steak, this decadent Risotto with Mushrooms and Sage, and some tender vegetables.  Round out the meal with a special wine we bought at a local vineyard, and some crusty bread, and you have one heck of a date night meal!  

Today, let explore the risotto.  I just love risotto.  MGG just loves risotto.  Although the steak was incredible, I will say that the star was the Risotto. Can you say comfort food? (as my Grandma would say, Oh. my. lands!)  It was creamy, earthy, and just so decadent.  We both wanted seconds...okay maybe thirds!

Now I know you are going to say risotto is involved.  It takes time, and yes, it does.  But it is so worth it.  So so worth it!   I was lucky enough to get a wonderful Breville Risotto Plus make for Christmas, which makes making risotto a snap.  So if you can splurge on this risotto/slow cookers (a multi tasking item) I would totally recommend it.  I love mine.  Just so you know, it sautes, is a rice cooker, a risotto maker, and a slow cooker all in one.  Love the double duty items!  So below I have my recipe, using my risotto maker, but I've included steps for making this on the stovetop as well.

The end result?  this was the bomb!  It came out perfect with my risotto make, just like you stood there stirring all evening. And this was the perfect, comforting side dish that made our date night even better!

Enjoy your date night!







Risotto with Mushrooms and Sage

Serves: Yields 8 side dish servings


2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium shallots, small diced
8 oz pound fresh baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon ground sage
salt & pepper
½ cup dry white wine
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups Arborio rice
¾ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

In a saute pan, or if you have a saute feature on your slow cooker, cook shallots along with olive oil and butter until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute until softened slightly, about 3-5 minutes. Add sage and season with salt and pepper.

Add rice to toast, stirring frequently another 3 minutes. Add the wine and cook 2-3 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.

For the Risotto maker: Switch your setting from Saute to Risotto. Stir in the broth and cover with a lid. Risotto will cook about 20-30 minutes and will automatically switch to the WARM setting when complete. Remove the lid and stir through the cheese. Test for seasonings and serve.

For Stove top directions: Reduce your heat to medium. Use a ladle to add a cup of hot broth to the rice. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon over medium heat until broth is almost fully absorbed. Add the remaining stock a ladle at a time, stirring constantly and adding more broth only after the previous addition has been absorbed, until the rice begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 16 to 20 minutes.

The risotto is done when it is creamy and the grains are plump and tender with a slight resistance to the bite. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Garlic Spaghetti

Let's face it.  I don't think that side dishes get the attention that they deserve.

I mean, they aren't the main attraction for day to day meals. More of an after thought on what to serve on the side.  At least at my house, I tend to throw my side dishes together.  I do try to compliment my main dish in theme or flavor though but I tend to rotate the same dishes.

Today's recipe is not your ho-hum side dish.  This Garlic Spaghetti will knock your socks off!

The flavors, the simplicity, the ease of cooking this dish!  Oh my!  (need I say more?)

A few days ago I posted a recipe for Chicken Pomodoro.  It's a wonderful Italian style chicken dish that I found in a Cuisine at Home magazine (which I love!).  Along with this chicken dish they suggested this simple side dish of pasta laced with garlic and a little lemon.  It sounded like the perfect accompaniment since it didn't have a sauce but a light coating of flavor infused olive oil.  

I thought that this would keep the whole dish light, and I was right.  The pasta was just lightly coated and was perfect as a side dish.  You could even turn this into a main dish by adding some grilled lemon or garlic chicken cut in small pieces.  It's heaven either way.

Simple to make, but BIG on flavor!

Give this dish a try with or without the Chicken Pomodoro.  It will soon become one of your favorite ways to dress pasta!

Enjoy!



Garlic Spaghetti

Ricotta salata is a salty, mild-flavored cheese with a crumbly texture similar to feta.

Makes: 4 servings; Total time: 25 minutes

8 oz. dry spaghetti
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. minced lemon zest
Salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste
1⁄2 cup crumbled ricotta salata

Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Reserve 1⁄2 cup pasta water; drain remaining water.

Heat oil in same pot over medium-high. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds. Stir in pasta water, parsley, zest, and spaghetti; toss to coat. Season spaghetti with salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes, then stir in ricotta salata.

source:  Cuisine at Home.com