Nora Ephron’s Super Simple Lazy Dinner Is So Relatable

When Harry Met Sally. You've Got Mail. Sleepless in Seattle. Heartburn. It's nearly impossible to talk about the romantic comedy genre without talking about the iconic work of Nora Ephron. The late writer-filmmaker extraordinaire made movies all about love in a distinctly refreshing way through her presentation of very human characters and realistic, relatable narratives.

Ephron loved to tell stories and she loved to talk about food, and she frequently did both at the same time. Heartburn, her bestselling novel, is full of highly cookable recipes.

And who can forget about her film Julie & Julia, Ephron's film about the legendary chef Julia Child (played by Meryl Streep) and the curious blogger (played by Amy Adams) who cooks through hundreds of Child's recipes. In a feature for Glamour Magazine in 2009, Nora Ephron channeled her inner Julia and shared her favorite 10-minute dinner. One glance at the recipe was all it took for us to want to make it immediately.

Related: Julia Child’s Work-From-Home Lunch Is Surprisingly Simple

What Is Nora Ephron's 10-Minute Pasta Dinner?

Ephron's pasta dinner is loosely inspired by the traditional Italian dish, aglio e olio, or spaghetti with oil and lots of garlic. The dish had a special place in Ephron's heart because it played a key role in Ephron's years as a single gal in New York City.

In an article published in The New Yorker, Ephron reflects, "Just before I moved to New York, two historic events had occurred: The birth control pill was invented, and the first Julia Child cookbook was published. As a result, everyone was having sex, and when the sex was over, you cooked something."

No matter what your evening plans are, you can rely on Ephron's pasta. The tasty dish is shockingly simple and calls for basic pantry ingredients.

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How to Make Nora Ephron's 10-Minute Pasta Dinner

For the full recipe, you can head on over to Glamour's website, but you'll need spaghetti, garlic, olive oil, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and fresh parsley.

Start by boiling the spaghetti according to the package directions. In a small skillet, cook the garlic in olive oil until slightly brown, which should take around 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the garlic from the oil. In a bowl, toss the bread crumbs with a couple spoonfuls of the garlic-infused olive oil. Spread the bread crumbs on a baking sheet and broil to lightly toast, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain the spaghetti, then toss the noodles in the garlic oil. Add the breadcrumbs and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish the pasta with the fresh parsley.

Related: The Super-Easy Pasta Dish Audrey Hepburn Ate Once a Week

If you're a garlic girl—and obviously Ephron was—then you'll love this simple garlicky-as-ever pasta. When sizzled in hot oil, garlic goes from sharp to sweet and gets all warm and sassy, the kinds of descriptors that would work for the strong female protagonists in any of Nora Ephron's films.

Don't have plans tonight? No worries, might we suggest this Nora Ephron dinner paired with a Nora Ephron movie?

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