It’s a a great recipe to play around with — you can add a splash of white wine, chopped nuts or fresh herbs if you want to get fancy.
The perfect low grocery day dish, it’s simple and combines well with reheated leftovers — particularly chicken and prawns
Pasta al Limone
Ingredients:
1 whole lemon
1 packet of spaghetti (500g)
¾ cup thickened cream
5 tbsp unsalted butter
¾ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
Black pepper
Salt
Method:
Peel two strips of lemon zest. Thinly slice lengthwise into thin strands and set aside for garnish. Finely grate the zest off the rest of the lemon into a pot or large saucepan. Cut lemon in half and squeeze two tablespoons of juice, set aside.
Cook pasta in heavily salted water, stirring until very al dente (pasta will finish cooking in the sauce).
Add thickened cream to the pot with the lemon zest and cook over medium heat, whisking often, until liquid begins to simmer. You can add half a tablespoon of honey here if it’s to your taste. Reduce heat and whisk in cold butter one tablespoon at a time. Remove from heat.
Once pasta is cooked remove from water with tongs and put straight into the sauce pot. Add three-quarters of a cup of pasta water to the sauce and return the sauce pot to medium heat. Cook, tossing often and adding Parmesan little by little until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy. It takes about three minutes. Stir in reserved lemon juice and season with salt to taste.
Divide pasta among bowls, generously season with pepper and top with reserved lemon zest strips.