Creamy Lemon and Pepper Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews, soaked in boiling water
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp turmeric
- 3 cups reserved pasta water (begin with 1 1/2 cups)
- 8-10 oz pasta of choice
Preparation
Boil enough water to cover cashews and pour over them; allow to soak for 15 minutes.
While cashews are soaking, start boiling water for pasta and cook the pasta.
Roughly chop garlic.
Heat butter in a skillet on medium low heat and sauté garlic for about 5 minutes until fragrant and lightly cooked.
Transfer garlic butter mixture to a blender with lemon juice, zest, pepper, salt, turmeric, and drained cashews.
Reserve about 3 cups of pasta water right before pasta is done; set aside.
Drain pasta and transfer back to pot; toss with about 1 tablespoon olive oil to prevent sticking.
Add 1.5 cups of reserved pasta water to the blender.
Blend on high speed until smooth.
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Blend again to ensure smoothness.
Pour sauce over pasta and toss to combine.
Add more pasta water if needed to thin the sauce.
Serving suggestions
Serve with additional pepper, hemp hearts, and black sesame seeds for color and texture.
