Pasta al Limone
Easy, decadent and delicious. Particularly good with home made pasta.
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients:
2 T. salt
1 lemon
12 oz. spaghetti or other long pasta
Kosher salt
¾ cup heavy cream
6 T. unsalted butter
3 oz finely grated Parmesan (about ¾ cup)
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
1. Set a large pot of salted water to boil.
2. Using a vegetable peeler, remove two 2” long strips of lemon peel (the yellow part only.) Thinly slice each strip lengthwise into thin strands; set aside for serving. Using a micro planer, grate the remaining zest into a large pot. Cut lemon in half and squeeze out enough juice to yield 2 T. into a bowl. Set aside.
3. Cook pasta in the boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente (pasta will finish cooking in sauce.) Hopefully this occurs at approximately the same time as step 4 is completed. (Do not drain at this point – see step 5)
4. Add cream to pot with lemon zest and cook over medium heat, whisking often, until liquid is just beginning to simmer, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Whisk in butter, 1 Tbsp. at a time, until melted and sauce is creamy and emulsified. Remove from heat.
5. Scoop out 1 ½ cups of pasta cooking liquid. Add ¾ cup of the pasta cooking liquid to cream sauce and return to medium heat. Using tongs, transfer spaghetti to pot with sauce (it’s okay if a little water comes along with it). Cook, tossing often and adding Parmesan little by little, until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy, about 3 minutes. If sauce looks tight, add 1 – 2 Tbsp. pasta cooking liquid as needed. Stir in reserved lemon juice. Season with more salt if needed.
6. Divide pasta among bowls. Season with pepper and top with lemon zest strips.