pasta with lemon parmigiano sauce
Quick & Easy
Pasta With Lemon Parmigiano Sauce
Let’s begin with some clarifying vocabulary: “Parmesan” is a style of cheese (like “cheddar” and “mozzarella”), and “Parmigiano-Reggiano” is the world’s best variety of this cheese, only produced in Italy, exclusively in Bologna, Modena, Parma, and Reggio Emilia. Its moniker is “the king of cheese,” and that is no hyperbole.
Ingredients
- 2 organic lemons, zested and juiced
- 3/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano, plus more for serving
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 pound spaghetti or angel hair pasta
- 20 large fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
Directions
- In a medium bowl, vigorously mix the lemon zest and juice, cheese, oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and a few generous grindings of black pepper so the cheese “melts” into the oil and lemon juice. Taste, adding more salt and pepper to your liking; set aside.
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil (1 tablespoon of salt for every 6 cups of water). Cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Return the drained pasta to the hot, empty pot. Pour the lemon-Parmigiano sauce over, tossing with ½ cup of the reserving cooking water to make a creamy sauce that clings to the strands, adding more cooking water as necessary. Add the basil and toss once or twice just to incorporate.
- Divide the pasta among bowls. Garnish with more Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Related Posts
Soups & Salads
Caesar Salad
Breakfast