spaghetti in acqua di limone

(1 rating)
Recipe by
Lori L (JostLori)
San Diego

This spaghetti is cooked in lemon-infused water in a most unusual manner. There are many such recipes on the internet, and this is my adaptation of some of them. You can use other types of pasta, but you'll need to par-boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water until it's flexible (about 2 minutes). Drain and continue with the recipe as written. Angel hair is not a good choice, as it will fall apart regardless.

(1 rating)
yield 4 -6
prep time 10 Min
cook time 15 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For spaghetti in acqua di limone

  • 4 lg
    organic lemons, divided use
  • 1 lb
    thin spaghetti (spaghettini)
  • 1/4 c
    good quality olive oil, divided use
  • 1/2 c
    grated pecorino romano cheese
  • handful fresh basil leaves
  • kosher salt & pepper, to taste

How To Make spaghetti in acqua di limone

  • 1
    Wash the lemons well, using a scrub brush. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the peels from JUST 3 of the lemons, avoiding the white pith, and place them in a glass bowl. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and pour over the peels. Cover the bowl and let soak. for at least 8 hours.
  • 2
    After soaking, discard the peels and bring the lemon water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to a simmer.
  • 3
    Add a good ladle-full of the simmering lemon water to a large skillet with high sides. Add a good pinch of salt and about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Bring to a boil and add the spaghettini, stirring to coat. Reduce the heat to medium.
  • 4
    Cook the pasta, stirring quite frequently to prevent sticking. When the pasta has absorbed much of the lemon water, add another ladleful of water. Don't let the pasta go dry. Continue until the pasta is cooked al dente.
  • 5
    Meanwhile, zest the remaining lemon and chop the basil. Set aside.
  • 6
    When pasta is cooked to your taste, remove from heat and add more of the olive oil, the grated cheese and the lemon zest (all to taste). Stir until well coated. Add the basil and toss.
  • 7
    Serve immediately, topped with freshly ground black pepper. Perhaps a bit more chopped basil, too. We like this finished off with a little drizzle of truffle oil.

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