I could easily dedicate this whole website to Italian pasta without any risk to run out of new ideas. From different types and shapes of pasta to nearly endless combinations of ingredients and flavours, and the influences the different regions have on the same recipe, there is no shortage of new pasta dishes to try.
But once again, there is nothing quite like the simple classic recipes requiring only a minimum of ingredients and time. Toss some fresh pasta into abundant boiling water, quickly whip together a pasta sauce, and top it up with some freshly grated parmesan. All in less than 30 minutes.
This delicious lemon linguine recipe is one of my favourites this summer. I usually elevate it with shrimp and a nice glass of chilled Chardonnay.
Lemons are a common ingredient in the Italian cuisine, and they are usually used in abundance. From breakfast to lunch and dinner and from appetizers to soups, mains, side dishes, dessert, and cakes, there is no shortage of recipes demanding for a good shot of freshly squeezed lemon juice or lemon zest, or both.
This is possibly no coincidence. After all, Italy is not known as the land where the lemons grow for nothing. The best lemons in the world are coming from Italy. The famous sfusato Amalfitano as the particular variety is officially called, is distinguished by its long, tapered shape and is usually double the size compared to other varieties. Meanwhile, another high-quality variety, the Femminello St. Teresa lemon is grown in Sicily, where lemons are an integral part of the islands landscape along with the local cuisine.
By the way, the next time you are planning a trip to Italy in spring, watch out for festivals celebrating the lemon harvest. They are hold throughout the whole country and most of them are taking place during April and May, even though the lemon harvest is usually kicking off in March and running until October.
You will struggle to find the authentic Amalfi lemons anywhere outside Italy, whilst if you live in Europe, you might get lucky to get hold of the wider distributed lemons from Sicily.
Otherwise, go for good quality organically grown lemons if you want to make the lemon linguine.
Sumptuous, with a fresh and lively tangy note they are the perfect summer weeknight dinner, brought together in only a few minutes.
Wine pairing: What wines goes best with lemon linguine
The trick pairing the right wine with lemon linguine lies in the lemon sauce. It adds a tangy flavour and tart fragrance that requires a wine that is equally crisp or even more so.
A good match would be of course a sparkling wine. The acidity displayed in sparkling wines along with the wines minerality will handle the creamy lemon sauce perfectly well.
Interestingly, a light red like a Valpolicella from Italy’s Veneto region would be a good match with citrusy pasta – though I would not recommend it in case you are actually going to add the shrimp.
I have chosen a full-bodied Chardonnay, which is a great wine to counterbalance the richness of the lemon sauce with their higher acidity.
Recipe: Lemon Linguine
Serves 4
500 g linguine
150 ml heavy cream
juice and zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons butter
50 freshly grated parmesan plus more for topping up
Cook the linguine in a large saucepan in abundant salted water.
Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the lemon zest and heavy cream and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add grate parmesan and cook for another minute. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the ready cooked linguine and toss around until they are well coated with the cream.
Serve topped with some more freshly grated parmesan.
Let me know if you liked the recipe in the comments below.
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