linguine with lemon zest, creme fraiche & parmesan cheese

the first time i read this simple recipe, i knew i had to try it. i love pasta. i love lemon. i love creme fraiche. everything sounded perfect to me...except the arugula. i don't love arugula; in fact i'm still trying to like arugula. so instead, i substituted milder-tasting baby spinach here.

this dish is quick to make and tastes divine. the flavors meld to create a tart, sweet, and savory sauce that silkily coats the pasta. use meyer lemons when they are in season for a slightly sweeter and more subtle sauce. avoid using pre-grated cheese...i used it once in a pinch and the flavors didn't meld as well. 

adapted from cooking for mr. latte: a food lover's courtship, with recipes by amanda hesser

equipment:
zester
large pot
large serving bowl
collander or tongs

ingredients:
salt
1 pound linguine
wedge parmesan-reggiano cheese (to grate)
2 lemons (meyer, if in season)
3 handfuls spinach, roughly torn
1/2 c creme fraiche
freshly ground black pepper

directions:

1. fill the large pot with water. add enough salt so that you can actually taste it. bring the water to boil, then add the pasta. cook until al dente (sometimes a little less time than what is specified on the package). 
2. while the water is boiling or pasta is cooking, finely grate about half a cup of parmesan-reggiano cheese into the serving bowl. zest both lemons into the bowl and add the torn spinach. juice 1 lemon and reserve.
3. lazy method: reserve a half cup of pasta water and using the tongs, transfer the linguine from the pot to the bowl. proper method: reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. drain the pasta and immediately add it to the serving bowl.
4. quickly drizzle the lemon juice (and if using the proper method, a bit of pasta water) over the linguine. add the creme fraiche and fold all ingredients together. continue to fold until the spinach is welted, cheese is melted, and each noodle is coated with sauce.
5. add a few grinds of black pepper and taste. if needed, add more salt, pepper, lemon juice, or creme fraiche. if the sauce is not silky enough, add a bit more of the pasta water and fold everything together.

serves 6 as a side or 4 as an entree.