This: your scary-good Halloween dinner! I’ll admit—I was looking for something black. Something that’s eerie to eat, and even if you are just staying home cozied up tonight, will give you a little sprinkle of Halloween spook.
So here you have it: squid ink spaghetti with chili and charred lemon. (And to be candid: regular spaghetti will work just as well. Without a squid ink sauce, the pasta itself is subtly flavored.) The charred lemons would also be a fun touch to a cheese or charcuterie board - and can actually be eaten whole! The caramelizing takes out a lot of the lemon’s bitterness.
And if you must, though the recipe doesn’t call for it (because it was going to kill my spooky-black-Halloween vibe) add some parmesan on top!
FOOD LA LA Recipe: Squid Ink Spaghetti with Chill and Charred Lemon
Ingredients:
1 package squid-ink spaghetti
4 organic lemons
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili flakes
Steps:
Roast Lemons:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Zest 1 lemon and then juice half of it. Set zest and juice aside
Cut remaining 3 lemons in half (I did a mix of lengthwise and crosswise)
Line a baking sheet with parchment appear and lightly rub with a few drops of olive oil. Place lemons cut side down and roast for about 25 minutes
Make Pasta:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Strain and return to pot.
Warm olive oil in a small sauce pan and add salt, chili flakes, lemon zest and lemon juice.
Add warm pasta and toss to coat.
Plate pasta on individual bowls and garnish with a few halves of roasted lemon and a pinch of chili flakes.
Psst! A few recipe notes:
Don’t touch the lemons while they’re roasting! They’ll develop a caramelized brown/black color if you let them sit untouched!