Pasta with Smoked Salmon Recipe

This is what I threw together for dinner last night, and it came out great! I searched online for smoked salmon pasta recipes and ended up making up my own. Note that measurements are approximate - this is cooking, not baking, we're talking about here - do everything to taste.


1/2 lb spaghetti or other pasta of choice (I used Barilla Plus spaghetti which I got for free because I had a coupon)
8 oz (or so) smoked salmon, flaked (I used honey smoked salmon from Costco which is so yummy that Jay thought it was ham!) Go for something that is thick and meaty, not the thinly sliced lox-style smoked salmon
1/2 cup frozen peas (I think this would also work well with asparagus)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbs butter
4 oz (or so) sour cream
a swig or two of whole milk or cream or both (I used both)
juice of 1/2 a lemon
fresh ground black pepper - lots of it!
a sprinkling of crushed red pepper
handful fresh basil leaves, chopped

Cook pasta according to package directions, being sure to strain it just as it hits the al dente tenderness. If there's one thing I can't stand it's over-cooked pasta. Add the peas to the cooking pasta one minute before the pasta is done. Strain it all together, reserving some of the pasta water for later.

Melt butter in large skillet over med heat. Add garlic and saute just a minute. Add milk, cream, sour cream, and lemon juice. Whisk together in skillet until it begins to bubble. Turn heat down and add black pepper and red peppers. Keep whisking and let the sauce reduce a little. Add cooked pasta and peas, and salmon. Toss well to coat everything and mingle flavors. Sprinkle basil on top. Enjoy!