Thursday, June 14, 2012

Pasta al Limone (Lemon Pasta) - A Taste of Sunshine!

Summer is here and to me that means lemon dishes, blueberries, cantelope, Jersey tomatoes, basil, strawberries - Yummmm... 

I love, love, love lemons.  They really do taste like sunshine. 

I was introduced to this dish by my friend Ginger Brokaw on Saturday night at a trendy little place in the East Village called Supper, and it was well worth the wait (they don’t take reservations).  It is one of my very favorite pasta dishes.

I experimented at home, and think I got pretty close with the recipe But, it was missing something.  My Roman friend, Barbara Roppo, was visiting and she said it was missing butter, her mother always uses sweet butter, not olive oil.  I didn't believe her. Butter? Not just olive oil?  Well, she was right.  It was missing butter.  Who knew?

Pasta Al Limone is a burst of summer in every mouthful. Served in small quantities it can be an extraordinary first course, or in larger quantities it is a delicious (an unforgettable) main course.  Very different.

This is great served with a spinach or arugula, orange (clementine) and pineapple salad with a lemon/balsamic vinaigrette.