Creamy Tomato Spaghetti With Preserved Lemon

 

Article

• Total Time - 25 minutes
• Prep Time - 5 minutes
• Cook Time - 20 minutes
• Yield - 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

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

Preparation

1. Step 1 - Place a large pot of water over high heat, add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil.
2. Step 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. Step  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. Step 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. Step 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. Step 6 - Serve warm, topped with Parmesan if desired.