Spaghetti al Limone

We took the fast hydrofoil from Napoli for a quick ride to the island of Ischia. We’d never been before and were determined to check out this gem in the middle of the Bay of Napoli.

It was a hot summer day so we hugged the coast. You take a small bus to traverse the small island. One runs clockwise the other counter. It’s a convenient way to visit as many of the small beachfront towns as you want. Hop off, explore and board again for the next town.

By early afternoon when we got to Forio we were hungry. We stumbled into a family osteria and got a warm welcome as we settled in for our al fresco lunch staring out at the beautiful Bay of Naples.

A pasta caught my attention, scialatielli al limone, a flat, chubby pasta in a lemon sauce. Never heard of it so I had to have it. Bright, light, sour and sweet, creamy, just a perfect balance.

Here’s our table just as our food was served. My pasta is at the top, grilled vegetables in the middle as a shared contorno (side dish) and my friend’s salad topped with salmon affumicato (smoked salmon).

The chef came out to see how our meal was going. After abundant praise for the delicious meal we talked about the pasta. I coaxed the recipe out of him, scribbled on a scrap of paper by our server as we talked.

This is my version of the dish. When I first made it at home I didn’t have scialatielli so I made it with the spaghetti in my pantry.  It’s an uncooked sauce so you’ll be ready to eat in the time it takes to cook the pasta.

After an espresso and dolci my new friend the chef asked us where we were headed next. I said I could use a siesta and a quick dip to cool off. He pointed to a beach with bright yellow umbrellas about 100 yards down the road. Go there and tell Giuseppe I sent you.

Off we went to see Giuseppe who set us up with beach chairs under umbrellas, towels and a place to change into our swim suits, no charge!

I waded into the crystal clear bay to cool off, retired to my chair and quickly nodded off.

What a day!

Spaghetti al Limone

Ingredients

• 1 pound imported Italian bronze-cut spaghetti (454 grams or sometimes 500 grams if not in pounds on the package)
• 4-5 quarts water for the pasta
• 1 tablespoon sea salt for the pasta water
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 lemon, (1 teaspoon grated peel and about 2 tablespoons of the squeezed juice)
• 6 tbsp EVOO
• 1 cup cream
• 1/4 cup grated parmigiana, plus some to sprinkle on top
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup reserved pasta water, as needed

Instructions

1. Put a large pot over high-heat.
2. While you’re waiting for the water to boil, rub the garlic on the inside of a big bowl that will hold the cooked pasta.
3. Finely grate about a teaspoon of lemon zest. Set aside.
4. Pour the lemon juice in the bowl.
5. Whisk in the EVOO a little at a time to form an emulsion. Add the zest.
6. Whisk in the cream and then the grated parmigiano and sea salt and grated black pepper to taste to form an emulsion.
7. When the water starts to boil add the sea salt.
8. When the water is at a vigorous boil add the pasta. Stir the spaghetti occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick together.
9. When the pasta is al dente (about 8-10 minutes, but taste it so that it doesn’t overcook), reserve a 1/4 cup of pasta water, drain the spaghetti and add the spaghetti to the lemon-cream sauce and coat. Add some pasta water to loosen the sauce as needed.
10. Top with a sprinkle of parsley and more grated parmigiano.
11. Serve immediately. Enjoy!