Spaghetti al Limone (Lemon, Butter and Parmesan)
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats and NYT Cooking.
A zesty Amalfi Coast pasta of spaghetti glazed in butter, Parmesan and lemon until glossy and bright.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Cook the Spaghetti. Bring 3 litres of water to the boil with the salt and cook the spaghetti for 1 minute less than the packet time.
- 2
Infuse the Butter with Zest. Meanwhile, melt the butter in the pan over medium heat until foaming, then lower the heat and add the lemon zest and garlic, cooking for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not coloured. The fragrant oils in the zest dissolve into the warm butter, giving a strong lemon aroma without the sharp bitterness that browning the zest would bring.
- 3
Reserve Water and Drain. Reserve 240ml of the pasta water, then drain the spaghetti.
- 4
Glaze the Pasta. Add the pasta and 120ml of the pasta water to the butter, raise the heat to medium-high and toss for 1 minute until glazed and satiny. Tossing the hot pasta vigorously with the water and butter starts pulling everything into a smooth coating rather than separate puddles of fat.
- 5
Add Cheese Off the Heat. Take the pan off the heat and add the Parmesan, tossing hard until the sauce thickens. Melting the cheese off direct heat keeps the sauce smooth; cheese added over high heat is far more likely to clump or turn oily.
- 6
Add Lemon Juice to Taste. Stir in 2 tbsp of the lemon juice, toss, then taste and add more juice, up to about 40ml in total, if you'd like it sharper. Adding the juice right at the end, off the heat, keeps its fresh tang intact and stops the acidity splitting the butter and cheese emulsion.
- 7
Season and Serve. Season with the black pepper and serve with the remaining Parmesan.
Storage
Best eaten straight away, as the butter sauce tightens and can separate on cooling; keep covered in the fridge for up to a day if needed. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water over low heat, tossing constantly, until piping hot. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- large frying pan or sauté pan (30 cm)
- fine grater (rasp)
- large pot (at least 5 litres)
- colander or tongs
- heatproof mug for pasta water
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 550 kcal |
| Protein | 17.8 g |
| Carbohydrate | 76.5 g |
| of which sugars | 3.1 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.3 g |
| Fat | 19 g |
| of which saturates | 11.3 g |
| Fibre | 3.5 g |
| Salt | 1.76 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
3.2 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
