Pasta with Limone

This pasta is the bright cousin of cacio e pepe pasta.  It is buttery and cheesy with a brightness from the lemon zest. Just don’t forget to add pasta water to the sauce – the best trick to getting a velvety sauce without using cream. 

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  • Serves: 4
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Ready-in: 15 minutes
Ingredients
  • 5 tablespoon Butter
  • 1 Lemons, zested and juiced
  • 1 Garlic Clove, minced
  • 12 ounce Linguine
  • 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (plus more for serving)
  • Black Pepper, to taste
  • Salt, for pasta water and seasoning to taste
Directions
  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta to al dente. Reserve pasta water when draining pasta.
  2. While pasta is cooking, melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Lower heat to low, add lemon zest and garlic, and cook about 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Add pasta to butter mixture, along with about 1/2 cup reserved pasta water. Increase heat to medium-high heat, and toss pasta to emulsify the sauce and coat the pasta.
  4. Add grated cheese and toss to thicken sauce. In necessary, add more pasta water to keep the sauce creamy. Add lemon juice to taste, starting with 1 tablespoon. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Serve immediately, with a sprinkling of additional grated lemon zest and cheese.