Lemon Spaghetti

Name: Lemon Spaghetti
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Spaghetti 11.5 oz; Butter 7 tbsp; Pecorino Romano PDO cheese 2.8 oz; Lemon juice 4 tbsp; Lemon peel organic 2; Anchovies in oil 1.8 oz; Basil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Lemon pasta without cream sounds like it shouldn't work — and then it does, completely. The creaminess in this spaghetti al limone recipe comes from three separate techniques used together: the pasta finishes cooking directly in the lemon butter sauce, absorbing it the way risotto absorbs broth; cold butter is worked in off the heat to emulsify everything; and a Pecorino Romano cream — grated cheese dissolved in hot pasta water — gets stirred in at the end. The result is a lemon pasta sauce that coats every strand without any dairy other than butter and cheese.

Anchovies go in at the start with the butter and lemon zest, where they dissolve completely into the base and add depth without any fishiness — leave them out for a vegetarian version. The whole dish takes twenty minutes, which makes it one of the more practical pasta recipes for a summer dinner when you want something light but substantial. Serve immediately: the creaminess is at its best the moment it leaves the pan.

How to prepare Lemon Spaghetti

To prepare the lemon spaghetti, first put a pot of water on the heat to cook the pasta and salt it when it comes to a boil. Separate the basil leaves from the stems 1. In a large skillet melt half the amount of butter 2 together with the basil stems 3.

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the lemon zest, taking care not to include the white pith which would give a bitter taste 4. Add the lemon zest to the pan 5 and the anchovies in oil 6. Cook over medium-low heat for 3 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the spaghetti for half the time indicated on the package 7. Pour the lemon juice into the pan 8 and let it infuse for another 3 minutes of cooking, then remove the basil stems and the lemon peels from the pan 9.

In the meantime prepare the cheese cream: grate the Pecorino Romano using a fine grater 10, then gradually add boiling water 11 while whisking 12 until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous consistency 12.

Drain the spaghetti at half-cook and transfer them to the pan 13. Add one ladleful of the cooking water at a time 14 and finish cooking them this way, stirring constantly 15.

When the pasta is cooked, turn off the heat and proceed with the finishing: add the remaining amount of cold butter straight from the fridge 16, a generous grating of lemon zest 17 and the basil leaves 18.

Mix well to melt the butter 19, then pour in the Pecorino cream 20. Combine further, using a little cooking water if necessary 21.

Finish the plates with a few more basil leaves 22 and a grind of black pepper 23. Your lemon spaghetti are ready to be served 24!

Storage

Lemon spaghetti should be eaten immediately to maintain their creaminess. If any remains, you can store them in the refrigerator for one day and reheat by adding a little hot water to re-emulsify.