Smoked salmon pasta

My new favorite pasta is everything I want in a lox bagel, but in a one-pot pasta dish that I can justify having for lunch or dinner! I mean, honestly, I would also have a lox bagel for lunch or dinner, but this seems maybe a bit more appropriate. This dish combines pasta with a sauce made of cream cheese, which melts perfectly into a tangy, creamy sauce studded with capers and bits of chopped smoked salmon.

When I first envisioned this recipe, I planned to use regular plain cream cheese, but when I went to the grocery store, I noticed right next to the regular cream cheese that there is a chive and onion flavor. I thought this would be perfect because those are already the flavors I want in my lox bagel. If you don't happen to find the chive and onion flavor, regular cream cheese is fine as well.

My favorite way to eat a lox bagel is with a perfectly ripe tomato. When it's tomato season, I like to simply dice up a large fresh tomato and stir it into the cooked pasta, which slightly warms it yet retains its freshness.

Smoked salmon pasta
1 lb pasta (I like a short cut like fusilli, farfalle, or penne)
2 medium to large fresh tomato, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 t Italian seasoning or dried dill
8 oz cream cheese (chive and onion flavor if possible)
1/4 cup capers
salt and black pepper to taste

6-8 oz hot or cold smoked salmon, chopped into bite-sized pieces 
2 T lemon juice

Garnishes (optional)
green onion

handful of something leafy, like fresh spinach, arugula, and/or parsley 

everything bagel seasoning

Bring water to a boil, add salt to taste, and boil pasta.

When pasta is al dente, save a cup of pasta water and drain the rest. Dump in remaining ingredients and stir to combine, adding reserved pasta water to loosen if needed.

I like to serve this with green onions and a handful of fresh spinach or arugula on the side of my bowl or mixed in to add a little bright freshness.