Simple Lemon Pasta with Parmesan and Pea Shoots

Ingredients

• 2 heaping cups fresh pea shoots or pea tendrils
• Zest of 1 large lemon
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup good-quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• ½ lb spaghetti
• ½ cup pasta water (reserved from when you cook the spaghetti)
• Kosher salt, to taste

Instructions

1. If your pea shoots are particularly long, chop them into halves or thirds so they’re a bit easier to manage. Set aside. 
2. In a large bowl, whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, grated parmesan cheese, and a generous amount of fresh ground pepper 
3. Cook spaghetti in very salty water until al dente 
4. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water 
5. Drain spaghetti and immediately add it to the mixing bowl with the lemon-olive oil mixture. Add reserved pasta water and toss to combine. The heat from the pasta will warm the sauce and melt the parmesan cheese 
6. Add pea shoots to pasta and toss until the parmesan has melted into a smooth sauce and pea shoots have softened lightly 
7. Taste pasta and add a pinch of kosher salt to taste 
8. Top pasta with additional parmesan cheese for garnish and serve immediately 

Adapted from www.lifeasastrawberry.com