PASTA AL LIMONE 

Serves 4-6

One of the three late night pastas, along with cacio pepe and spaghetti aglio olio, that one makes at home after a night out, when there’s nothing in the fridge and you crave something comforting and soothing. A cool, light red wine is the thing to drink with it, if when you crave this dish in the early morning, you haven’t already drunken enough. 

400 g/14 oz dried pasta – linguine, spaghetti, fettuccine, bucatini 
1 cup/250 ml heavy cream 
6 TBL/80 g unsalted butter 
½ tsp/3 g kosher salt
½ tsp/2 g garlic, grated or finely chopped 
3TBL/18 g lemon zest finely grated 
1 cup/90 g Parmigiano, finely grated 
2 strips lemon peel, pith removed, peel finely sliced 
1 ½ tsp/7 g Tellicherry peppercorns, cracked  

Bring a pot of well-salted water to the boil. Drop pasta of choice into water. Stir pasta to avoid sticking to bottom of pan. In a separate, wide saucepan, bring cream and butter to a simmer. Add salt, garlic, grated lemon zest, add ½ cup grated Parmigiano, and a few pinches of cracked Tellicherry pepper. Whisk to a smooth, slightly thickened sauce. Add sliced lemon peel and set in a warm spot on the stove. Scoop out ½ cup pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta in colander or strainer. Add pasta to cream sauce and stir with tongs to combine. Add an ounce or two of pasta water to sauce. Move pasta around pan with your tongs in an even layer, allowing pasta to absorb some of the sauce. If sauce becomes too thick, correct it by adding another ounce or two of reserved pasta water to sauce. Transfer pasta to warm plates and sprinkle with remaining grated Parmigiano and cracked Tellicherry pepper. 

Choose a light Italian red with the pasta, such as Schiava, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, or even Rosso di Toscano. Rossese would be terrific. Cool the wine slightly in the fridge to proper cellar temperature – about 60° F/18° C. 

 ©2020 Christopher Lee