Making the classic Spaghetti Al Limone is a simple, pure magic that few other are capable of. The star of the show here is the lemon, and we are using all of it – juice, zest, and everything that’s left. A starchy slurry from boiling the pasta in a shallow pot of water with lemon rinds brings this pasta into the “creamy” category and the stick of butter doesn’t hurt either. With a little technique and few ingredients, your dinner comes together in minutes. It’s best served immediately and with a heap of grated parmesan cheese. See you on the other side.
PrintSpaghetti Al Limone
What You’ll Need
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of butter
- 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
- 5 lemons
- 2 teaspoons of lemon zest
- Grated parmesan, for serving
What You’ll Do
- Fill up a large pot with 3 inches of water. The shallow water will allow for extra starchy pasta water. Salt the water and place 1 halved lemon into the pot. Bring to the water a boil and add the spaghetti. Cook until the spaghetti is al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the extra starchy pasta water, then strain the pasta.
- In a dutch oven on medium heat, add 6 tablespoons of butter, 3/4 cup of lemon juice (from 4 lemons), 2 teaspoons of lemon zest and 1 teaspoon of salt. Swirl together until butter is melted and everything is combined. Lower the heat and add in the al dente spaghetti along with ½ cup of starchy water.
- Turn off the heat and add in the remaining two tablespoons of butter. Twirl the spaghetti until a creamy consistency forms, adding more pasta water if necessary.
- Serve immediately topped with plenty of parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
