Spaghetti with Mushrooms and Parsley Lemon Pesto

 Even though parsley  is in season all year round, I declare it to be my personal spring herb. I find its tart flavor very fresh and invigorating, just what you need after a long sleepy winter. In Mark Bittmann's 'How to Cook Everything", I found a recipe of parsley pesto (which I didn't use). However, he suggests the combination of mushrooms with parsley pesto. And that was the birth of this flavorful light dish.
I decided to freshen up the parsley pesto with some lemon. I browned mushrooms in a little olive oil, coated them with the pesto and spread another spoonful over some spaghetti. A lovely vegetarian meal, good for lunch or a quick dinner.
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SPAGHETTI WITH MUSHROOMS AND PARSLEY LEMON PESTO

250g spaghetti

250g (2 cups) button mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

Parsley Lemon Pesto

2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 garlic cloves, peeled

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
juice of half a lemon

3/4 cups walnuts (chopped) or pine nuts
1/3 cup  olive oil
salt to taste

Serves 2

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For the parsley lemon pesto, combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until it becomes a fine paste. Add more olive oil if it seems to dry or crumbly. Season with salt. 

Cook spaghetti according to instructions. Drain the spaghetti.


In a pan, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Brown the sliced mushrooms for about 5-7 minutes. They should keep a bit of a bite to it. 

Toss mushrooms and pesto into the spaghetti. Transfer to plates and serve immediately.