quick and easy meals for 1 or 2

pasta with garlic, red pepper, lemon and zesty crispy bread crumbs


This is real fast, real easy and real good. You can add some pre-cooked shrimp or chicken when you add the garlic to the pasta, or not. It’s still real good with just the veggies and crumbs. Serves 2. double it for more folks or to save some for zapping another day.

Bread crumbs
1/2 cup bread crumbs. I like progresso Italian
1/2 tsp. lemon zest save the lemon for the pasta
1 tbsp. olive oil
salt & pepper


½-2/3 lb. of pasta I like a long pasta,i.e. spaghetti, linguine or fettuccini for this
1/2 cup olive oil
3 large garlic cloves chopped fine
Juice Of 1 Lemon ( the one you zested)
1-1/2 tbsp. red chili flakes
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or 1and a half tbsp. dried


In a heavy frying pan, heat 1/2 of the oil and add the bread crumbs, lemon zest, salt & pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring often until the crumbs are crisp and light brown. Put 'em aside.

Cook the pasta in salted boiling water. While it is cooking, heat the rest of the oil in a small, heavy saucepan. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is sizzling but not browned. Remove from the heat. Once the pasta is cooked al dente, remove a little of the pasta water, and drain the pasta. Return to the pot, and add the garlic, oil, and lemon juice. Mix well over medium heat until hot, adding a little pasta water if the mixture seems dry. Add the parsley and mix well.

SERVE IT UP!!! With the bread crumbs on top, some grated parmesan cheese, some good crusty Italian bread, some salad and some Chianti!!

A tip: extra virgin olive oil is made from the first squeezing of the olives without any heat being applied to get more oil from the olives. Regular olive oil is made from later squeezing where heat is applied to get it all out of the olives. Keep some of both on hand. Just use the extra virgin when you are not going to heat up the oil. Like in salad dressings or toppings. When you are going to cook in it use just the reg. stuff. You’ll save money.