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Clean recipe · cooking.nytimes.com

Creamy Tomato Spaghetti With Preserved Lemon

Something magical happens when preserved lemon and tomato are cooked together. In this quick and simple pasta, fragrant lemon permeates the tomato paste, creating a beautifully aromatic (and pantry-friendly) sauce with the addition of heavy cream. Spaghetti is tossed with the sauce, which ends up subtly sweet and yet bright and tangy — a comforting weeknight twist on the always beloved tomato pasta.

Original recipe: cooking.nytimes.com

Yield:
4 servings
Prep:
5 min
Cook:
20 min
Total:
25 min
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Ingredients

  1. Fine sea salt and black pepper
  2. 3 tablespoons olive oil
  3. ½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  4. 2 garlic cloves, minced or crushed in a garlic press
  5. 5 tablespoons tomato paste
  6. ½ preserved lemon, seeded and minced (about 2 tablespoons), plus more to taste
  7. 2 teaspoons honey, plus more to taste
  8. 1 cup heavy cream
  9. 1 pound spaghetti (or other long pasta)
  10. Finely grated Parmesan (optional), for garnish

Instructions

  1. Place a large pot of water over high heat, add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pan or pot over medium-low. Add the onion, garlic, tomato paste, 1 tablespoon of the minced preserved lemon, the honey, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and the onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes.
  3. Mix in the cream, taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with more preserved lemon, honey and salt as necessary. Bring to a gentle simmer, then turn off the heat and cover with a lid to keep the sauce warm.
  4. Cook the spaghetti in the boiling water until almost al dente according to the package instructions, 6 to 7 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain pasta.
  5. Over medium-low heat, add the spaghetti to the sauce along with ½ cup of the reserved cooking water, and toss to coat. Continue to toss until the spaghetti is al dente, adding more cooking water as needed to achieve a glossy sauce that clings to the pasta, 3 to 4 minutes.
  6. Serve warm, topped with Parmesan if desired.