One can never have too much pasta. I just made gnocchi 2 weeks ago, which was delicious. But after a rich chocolate cake and TV celebration, I’m back craving savory Italian foods. I need acid and salt and brightness, too, being in the midst of winter. So, I’ve been thinking about bright flavors and bright colors. I knew I wanted to use lemon, one of my favorite ingredients to cook with, and I had a rough idea of what to make. Then, I thought about what I wanted to eat, which was tagliatelle with lemon (pasta al limone). A simple yet luxurious and light pasta dish from Italy.

Pasta Al Limone Recipes

I started by scouring the internet for recipes, hoping to get inspiration from the most authentic sources. Ultimately I settled on a man who spoke only Italian in a cooking video, who effortlessly danced with hot water, pasta, and lemons. The dish went from an array of ingredients to a plated masterpiece in a few minutes. I was transfixed as he cooked the pasta in a sauté pan of shallow water. He grated the lemon zest directly into the water as the pasta cooked. Then, he used the remaining pasta water that didn’t boil out to emulsify with cheese. Pasta al limone.

My favorite part of the video was the dry crack of green leaves he used as garnish. I was balancing several things while watching. Easily distracted, as usual. So I finished the video and assumed it was basil, or bay leaf. But I rewatched it as I prepared to get to work and realized it was lemon leaf. Which is something I’ve never really thought about cooking with. He microwaved the leaves to remove all the moisture and just crushed them in his hand like a pile of potato chips. He dusted the magical green powder over the yellow pasta. And I couldn’t wait to make it.

Pasta-Making in Italy

I didn’t have access to lemon leaf, as I unfortunately can’t pick lemons off an idyllic tree in my backyard in Maine in February. I thought of the house in Tuscany that we stayed in for a month back in 2023 on my formative trip to Italy. A grid of gorgeous lemon trees in the backyard. A well that collected fallen persimmons and dry leaves. The sound of the stone driveway under shoes you can hear from the second floor with the window open. Of course my mind also wandered back to the many pasta meals we made. Lasagna, gnocchi, fettuccine. Rolling dough out by hand on a marble countertop with an old wooden pin.

I started my recipe on Thursday morning after an unusually high-anxiety week. No reason, really, just my body going through its normal ebbs and flows. I started the day by taking a walk, which jump started my brain and made me happy. I had some gingerbread-flavored coffee and caught up on a podcast. Then, I entered my kitchen colosseum, ready to create the best pasta al limone money can buy. On the East coast of the U.S. at least. I had a bunch of ideas ready, including putting lemon zest in my dough. Making the tagliatelle with lemon two-sided with yellow and white, like a lemon peel. And plating the dish in a lemon cup.

Making my Pasta Dough

I started by cracking eggs into my well of flour. Thinking about the price of eggs, trying to suppress an uneasy nervousness in my stomach. I’ve been trying to ignore the news and focus on my life. Which feels selfish sometimes but it improves my mental health. I got out my favorite metal fruit zester next and gleefully zested one lemon into the eggs. Tapping the wand over the bowl to get rid of the stubborn zest clumps. I delighted in the perfume of lemon oil on my fingertips and whisked the zest into my sunshine-colored eggs. As I gradually incorporated the flour into the eggs, I threw my form into the sink and placed my rings on the counter. I dove in with my hands and kneaded away as my mind wandered down several paths.

I thought a lot about this very blog. This week has seen a big increase in traffic, which feels extremely gratifying. In full transparency, my ADHD has always made it really hard for me to stick to one project long-term. I typically hate routines and predictability. So, I didn’t know what to expect when I revived my food blog. All I was thinking about was doing something that kept me busy, creative, and happy. I’m so happy to say that after over a year now I have no desire to stop any time soon. Blogging, cooking, painting, and writing has added so much back to my life and taught me that the things I love are simple. I do love a routine when it’s filled with things that calm me down. Each week is a blank slate to create something new, colorful, and delicious.

Kneading Dough

As a creative person it’s hard to see your hard work go unnoticed sometimes. But it’s been so happy and uplifting to see my “stats” go up. Getting new subscribers and comments and lots of views. It’s so cool. I feel like I’ve found the thing that I would do for free anyway and found the confidence to share it with people, which is empowering. Exciting. I get chills thinking about the recipes I have yet to make. The paintings I haven’t created yet. And the tagliatelle with lemon (pasta al limone) I have yet to eat.

As my mind wandered back to the countertop and my buttercup pasta dough, I pressed my finger into it and found it to be sufficiently kneaded. Off it went into plastic wrap and into the fridge as I ate lunch and rested for a little bit. I realized shortly after that I forgot to make two doughs, one white and one yellow, to execute my idea. But I decided it was fine, and I have many more opportunities to make multi-colored doughs in the future. For my pasta al limone I wanted to stay mostly classic. And the tagliatelle with lemon would be covered in sauce and garnish anyway. While I waited for the dough to rest I carved open a lemon and scooped out the flesh. A fine-dining-sized lemon bowl to plate my pasta in.

Handmade Tagliatelle with Lemon

After lunch I grabbed my pasta machine and clamped it onto the baby-blue counter. I hoisted my glass flour jar onto the counter and sprinkled a snowstorm of flour onto the surface. I cut my dough into equal pieces and rolled the first through the widest setting with plenty of flour. Then, I realized I hadn’t kneaded it enough and it wasn’t as strong as I wanted. So, I folded it over itself and ran it through a couple times before continuing. Normally I would frown on this because it can make your pasta tough, but it’s a great trick to fix a soft dough and to impart a nice bite in your pasta.

My pasta al limone needed lots of lemon zest, lemon juice, butter, olive oil, and pasta water, so I boiled a big pot of water and prepped the other ingredients diligently. I rolled my pasta into a thin sheet and then dusted it in a bit of flour again to keep it from sticking to itself as I wrapped it into a bundle and cut thin strips. I wanted tagliatelle with lemon, not linguine or spaghetti. Many recipes use bucatini, which would be delicious, but I don’t have a pasta extruder and don’t have time to roll a million strands of pasta round a dowel one-by-one. I thought about it though. I unfurled my pasta strands and tossed them in flour, crafting little pasta nests. All I had to do was boil it and make a quick sauce.

Pasta Al Limone Sauce

My mind drifted back to the Italian master in his kitchen casually throwing things into a pan and revealing a gorgeous, silky pasta al limone after what felt like seconds. So, with all my ingredients ready, I boiled the first bundle of my tagliatelle and waited for a minute as I impatiently swirled my cooking tweezers through the pond, like wading through seaweed. I tasted a hot piece and it was perfectly al dente. So I grabbed as much as I could in one go and dropped it into my melted butter and lemon juice mixture. I added my zest, too, which I forgot to do first, and shook my pasta around. I added a little bit of pasta water. Then, all I had to do was add my parmesan and emulsify it into a glossy sauce.

It went almost as well as the video of the Italian master. I squeezed in a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkled on a little sea salt. Then I had a beautiful nest of silky yellow tagliatelle with lemon sauce. I love cooking that’s just about simple ingredients and techniques, and pasta al limone exemplifies that. I was craving that pop of lemon, citric acid, buttery, salty sauce after a couple of heavy-hitting snow storms. A pop of sunshine in the dark winter. So, I tasted my first portion standing over the counter with a fork, too impatient to wait for it to cool. I added a little chopped basil, too, to replace the lemon leaf.

Playing with Plating

The pasta was perfectly cooked, with a delightful, easy chew. Coated in a rich sauce that coated every piece with a confident punch of citrus. Mellowed by the butter, pasta water, and crisp flakes of sea salt. Subdued by a drizzle of good olive oil and the perfumed, slightly bitter lemon zest. The tagliatelle with lemon is the perfect thickness. I was happy too with its pastel yellow color and pop of fresh chopped basil on top. I remembered my initial plan after taking some photos and decided to cook another batch and swirl it into a beautiful volcano-shape with the twist-in-a-ladle technique I’ve seen chefs use. Including Peppe, my new pasta idol.

The second batch was a bit overcooked so the pasta broke up as I twirled it. The sauce thickened too much as I got distracted. So, I tried again, and this time it was perfect. Glossy sauce with strong, defined pasta lines. I had a hard time twirling it in my lemon, so I poured it back into my pan and tried again after cutting the lemon shorter. That did the trick. I used my tweezers to spin it into a pasta torpedo as my other hand spun the lemon underneath, fingers avoiding hot splatters of lemon sauce. Finally I was happy and snapped a few pictures, garnishing with more basil and lemon zest. Craving a full bowl of warm pasta from the comfort of the couch or the dining table.

A Decadent Dinner

I made a portion for my mom and she loved it. Especially after a long work day. We caught up and watched The Traitors and another week reached its conclusion with delicious pasta al limone under the dark blanket of Maine sky. Curled up in a small, humble home. Surrounded by love and joy and excitement for what’s to come. We’ve gained over an hour of sunlight, too, which feels appropriate for this sunny, yellow dish. I’ll be catching up on sleep and sketching recipe ideas between TV shows and afternoons in the kitchen. Making desserts, homemade pizzas, and luscious pasta dishes.

Thank you for reading! Check out my Etsy for 100’s of recipe cards and art prints, shipped directly from my home in Maine. Use code THEFORKEDRING for 25% off. Sending you good vibes for the rest of February, the shortest month!

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Pasta Al Limone (Lemon Pasta)

A simple Italian classic made with homemade lemon pasta and a lemony sauce

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword lemon pasta, lemon recipes, pasta recipes

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author theforkedring

Ingredients

• 250 g flour + more for dusting
• 3 large eggs
• 3 large lemons
• 12 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 cups fresh parmesan
• 1/2 cup Basil or dried lemon leaf for garnish
• Salt + pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place your flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add eggs and the zest of 1 lemon.
• Whisk your eggs in the center and gradually incorporate flour until a dough starts to form. Use your hands to shape dough into a cohesive mass.
• Knead dough for 10-15 minutes, or until it feels elastic and fully incorporated. Cover and let chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before rolling.
• On a floured work surface, portion your rested dough into 3 equal pieces. Cover and place 2 pieces back in the fridge as you roll out the first.
• Cover your first piece lightly in flour and shape into a rough rectangle. Then, roll your pasta dough through a pasta machine, starting on thickness 1 (the thickest setting).
• Continue rolling your dough through each thickness until you get to thickness 4 or 5. Cut your dough sheet in half, then roll each piece again through thickness 5 or 6.
• Dust your pasta sheets with flour and fold each sheet over onto itself several times from the short side.
• Cut your dough logs into thin, 3mm wide strips and unfurl immediately to prevent sticking. Coat pasta strands in flour to keep them from sticking as they rest.
• Repeat rolling and cutting your dough with all pieces until you have 6 portions of noodles.
• Boil a large pot of water over medium high heat and add a generous handful of salt.
• When the water boils, place a sauté pan over medium heat adjacent and melt 2 tbsp of butter.
• Once the butter melts and the water is at a rapid boil, place one portion of noodles at a time in the boiling water and cook for 1 minute, or until al dente.
• Add the juice of 1/2 lemon and a sprinkle of lemon zest to your butter mixture. Once your pasta is done cooking, transfer it to your pan of lemon butter.
• Add a spoonful of pasta water to keep the sauce loose and prevent it from sticking. Add a drizzle of good olive oil and 1/3 cup parmesan.
• Shake your pan of pasta as it cooks to keep from sticking. Once you’ve reached a velvety, slightly loose sauciness, transfer your pasta to your serving plate.
• Garnish with a sprinkle of salt, lemon zest, basil or lemon leaf, and fresh grated parmesan.
• Repeat boiling your remaining pasta bundles and making sauce for each portion, seasoning to taste and serving warm.

Notes

• If your dough is too soft, fold it over onto itself between runs through your pasta machine to increase the gluten and strength. 
• Thickness 5 will be a little more firm, like an egg noodle or buckwheat noodle. 6 is a little thinner and softer if you want a more delicate pasta.