Pasta al limone – creamy lemon pasta

We first ate a bowl of genuine pasta al limone on the terrace of the Hotel Metropole in Santa Margarita Ligure on the Italian Riviera. It was a perfect scene – the sun was shining, the air was warm for the start of spring and the dish was delicious. A thick lemony sauce coated the perfectly al dente spaghetti, and the lemons were clearly from Amalfi with that unique taste that is so unmistakable. We can sometimes buy these lemons here in Finland but not often. So instead I recommend finding the best organic lemon you can as much of the flavour comes from the rind and you don’t want it marred by the pesticides and wax that coat standard lemons.

This sauce is quick to make so once you are confident with the method you only need to start making it once the pasta is cooking. The first time I recommend making the sauce up to the point of adding the cheese and then put it to one side while you cook the pasta. Then continue with the recipe once the pasta is cooked.

In Italy we had the dish served on its own however we both felt that a protein would be good to round out the meal. We’ve made this dish alongside a piece of grilled steak, or with courgette and chicken meatballs. Or you could serve it with buttered greens or fried peppers for a quick vegetarian weeknight dinner.

Print Recipe

Pasta al limone – creamy lemon pasta

Author: NooNoo Cuisine: European, Italian Courses: Main

Difficulty: Beginner Cook Time 10 mins Total Time 10 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Servings

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped
• ¹⁄₂ lemon zested
• 150 ml cream
• ¹⁄₂ lemon juiced
• 2 tbsp parmesan cheese finely grated
• Salt to taste
• 300 g spaghetti or linguine

Instructions

1. Place a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta. If confident you can wait to make the sauce once the pasta is cooking.

2. Heat a frying pan to a medium-low heat and add 1 tbsp of olive oil.

3. Add the garlic and lemon zest and fry for 30 seconds to release the fragrance.

4. Add the cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and cook for another minute. Add salt to your taste, bearing in mind that salty cheese and salted pasta will also be added.

5. Once the pasta is cooked add it directly to the sauce from the water pan (do not drain). The extra pasta water will help to create a silky sauce.

6. Add 2 tbsp of parmesan cheese and stir ensuring the pasta is well coated in the sauce. Serve with a protein or vegetable of your choice.

Keywords: pasta al limone, cream, lemon, pasta,