Right Now: Lemony Pasta with Roasted Cabbage

And a few pasta recipes to know by heart

I’ll start with something we all know: a good pasta recipe can go a long way to feeding yourself and the people you love.

On nights when I have time to plan ahead but need the cooking to be hands off, I go with a version of Marcella Hazan’s classic butter, halved onion, and can of tomatoes tomato sauce. You literally combine the ingredients and let it simmer somewhere short of an hour. Add al dente pasta and salad, and you have a meal. 

Other nights, I make cacio e pepe. Easy, quick, and foolproof. 

With just a little more effort than cacio, you can make a memorable pasta with herbs, tender roasted cabbage, and lots of lemon. Cheesier and creamier than pasta al limone, the dish has sumptuous ribbons of sweet and earthy cabbage, bright bits of lemon zest, and punchy spring herbs.

I’d hoped to find a bunch of spring onions (aka salad onions) to incorporate, but had no luck. Instead, I found fresh chives and over-wintered thyme out in the garden. They balance the rich flavors and give everything a punchy edge to remind us that it’s spring.

Lemony Pasta with Roasted Cabbage