For someone who claims to have a fondness for Italian food along with ranking Italian restaurants as amongst my most favorite, it's hard to believe I have never tasted the classic Linguine al Limone before. Seriously, what kind of sheltered or myopic life have I been living? Is it time for me reluctantly admit that I am more of a creature of habit and a less adventuresome Italian food lover? That would be one of those hard to swallow realizations! And considering the number of Italian cookbooks I own, make having a lemon pasta void in my life even more unfathomable. Fortunately for me, and now maybe for you, my life now includes this simple, creamy, silky, citrusy Linguine al Limone.
A year ago we were coping the polar vortex. This year is a different story. The weather has been relatively mild here in the Midwest, but we haven't had any sunshine or even a hint of a blue sky here for what seems like an eternity around here. Although in reality we have had eight consecutive days of gray gloominess. Could this be what living in parts of the Pacific Northwest feels like during the winter months? Or is that one of the myths people from Oregon and Washington want us to believe so they can keep their idyllic landscapes a secret from the masses. If there were ever a dish to bring some virtual sunshine into your life it would be a platter of this Linguine al Limone. Even if you live in the south or southwest this pasta dish will make your already good sunny days even better ones. In just one bite I noticed a considerable shift in my mood.
My brief search on the exact origin of Pasta al Limone revealed it may have first been created in the Campania region of Italy. As the southern west coast side of Italy is known for it's abundance of lemons (i.e., Amalfi, Sorrento, Sicily). Recipes for Pasta al Limone fall into two main versions but with variations: uncooked and cooked. Other than preparation, the differences between the two generally center on ingredients. Both versions are made with lemon, pasta, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Uncooked versions are made with oil, while many cooked versions are made with butter and often heavy cream. Some recipes include the addition of garlic, herbs (usually basil), and/or shallots. The recipe for this Linguine al Limone is a cooked version. Almost any sauce made with butter, heavy cream, and Parmigiano-Reggiano falls in the seductive, irresistible category for me.
And this Linguine al Limone is luxurious.
From what I have read, it seems spaghetti is the pasta used most often in this classic Italian dish. However, it can be made with any long pasta, like linguine or fettuccini. I happen to be partial to linguine. Most pasta comes in one pound packages, but his recipe calls for only twelve ounces. Which means you will need to weigh out your pasta to ensure your finished dish has the right pasta to sauce ratio.
I am not a big fan of prepackaged grated parmesan cheese even if the packages are labeled Parmigiano-Reggiano. Not only because I feel they 'lose their flavor', but more importantly, every recipe calls for a different kind of grated cheese. Depending on how you measure grated parmesan cheese, the amounts or pre-grated versus freshly grated cheese will vary widely. Weighing out your grated cheese will prevent you from either not having enough or from having too much. This one calls a finely grated, fluffy-like Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in order to create the silkiest of sauces.
The lemon is used three ways in this recipe. In thinly sliced strips of the lemon zest, as finely grated lemon zest, and with freshly squeezed lemon juice. In order for this dish to have the right amount of that bright lemon flavor, buy a really large lemon.
The entire dish comes together in less thirty minutes inclusive of preparation time. Making it perfect for weeknight dinners as well as for casual, impromptu weekend entertaining. Putting a well salted pot of water on the stove and having all of your ingredients prepped before you begin is essential as this dish requires some timing. The sauce can begin to be made during the 6 to 7 minutes it takes for the pasta to get to the 'al dente' stage.
While it's recommended you reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking liquid, only three-quarters of a cup will initially be added into the sauce. In the event your sauce is too thick, you will have enough left over if you need some additional liquid to achieve a creamy consistency. Immediately after the pasta liquid is quickly whisked together, in goes the drained pasta. Adding the finely grated cheese in batches enables it to completely melt into the sauce (about 2-3 minutes of cooking time). Lastly the lemon juice along with some kosher salt to taste is blended in. The mixture should have the creamiest texture and be well-seasoned.
This cooked version of Linguine al Limone is meant to be eaten as soon as it is finished cooking. Once transferred to a large platter it is topped with the reserved thin slices of lemon peel and freshly grated black pepper. A light sprinkling of Italian Herbed Sea Salt is optional but makes for an even more delicious finish to this simple, yet incredibly luscious dish.
Serve it as the pasta course or as the main dish. Pair it with a beautiful salad and/or some grilled fish/shrimp (or even a roasted chicken) or just make the Linguine al Limone the only course. Don't forget to open up a really good chilled white wine to complete the meal. A bowl of this classic Mediterranean pasta and a glass of wine will definitely brighten up your mood regardless of the weather outside or if you happen to be having one of those life gives you lemons kind of days.
Linguine al Limone (a slight adaptation to Bon Appetit's Pasta al Limone recipe)
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 large lemon
12 ounces (341 g) linguini or other long pasta (spaghetti, fettuccini, or pappardelle)
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
3 ounces (85g) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
3/4 cup pasta water, plus additional as needed
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Optional: Italian Herbed Sea Salt for finishing
Optional: Additional freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving
Directions
1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove two 2" long strips of lemon zest. Very thinly slice each strip lengthwise and set aside (for serving). Finely grate the remaining zest into a large Dutch oven. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze out enough juice to yield 2 Tablespoons into a small bowl and set aside.
2. Cook linguine in a large pot of boiling, salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente (my cooking time for linguine was about 6 1/2 minutes). Remove pasta from the pot but reserve at least 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water.
3. As soon as the linguine is put into the water add the heavy cream to the lemon zest and cook over medium heat, whisking often, until the liquid begins to come to a simmer (about 2 minutes). Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk in the butter 1 Tablespoon at a time until melted and the sauce is creamy and emulsified. Remove from heat (if your pasta is not yet finished cooking).
4. As soon as the pasta is al dente, return the pot with the sauce to medium heat and add in 3/4 cup of the hot pasta cooking liquid. Whisk to combine. Immediately transfer the drained linguine into the sauce. Cook, tossing often and adding in the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese little by little until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy (about 2-3 minutes). Note: If the sauce is too thick add in a little more of the reserved pasta liquid a Tablespoon at a time.
5. Stir in the reserved lemon juice and season with kosher salt.
6. Transfer pasta to a large bowl. Season with cracked pepper, Italian Herbed Sea Salt (if using), and the reserved thinly sliced lemon zest strips.
7. Serve immediately with a great bottle of white wine and additional Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (if using).
Notes: (1) The recipe calls for only 12 ounces of pasta. Most pasta comes in one pound (16 ounces) packages. Be certain to measure your pasta out before starting this dish. (2) In the event you have any leftovers, keep the remaining 3/4 cup of pasta cooking liquid. You can reheat the pasta on low in the microwave adding in some hot liquid if necessary.