Orecchiette al Limone
with peas, of course!
This recipe almost didn’t make it into this week’s newsletter.
I originally made this as a true one-pot pasta, letting the orecchiette cook directly in the sauce. I loved the idea, but after filming it and tasting it, the pasta released so much starch that the sauce lost that glossy, buttery al limone quality I was after. So, lesson learned: orecchiette isn’t my favorite pasta for a true one-pot recipe.
The second version was exactly what I’d been hoping for, though. Cooking the pasta separately while saving plenty of the starchy pasta water gave me so much more control over the sauce (who would’ve thought?). It’s still made in the same pot, still comes together with just a handful of ingredients and the cleanup is barely any different, but the end result is brighter, silkier, and so much closer to the spirit of al limone.
Lately I’ve been getting in my own head about the kinds of recipes I should be sharing, and this felt like a good reminder that simple doesn’t have to mean boring. Sometimes butter, lemon, Parmesan, and a good bowl of pasta really are enough. And while peas aren’t traditional in spaghetti al limone, if you’ve been here for a while, you already knew I was going to add them.
P.S. I’ve had a few people ask for the link to my big pasta pot, so here it is!
Orecchiette al Limone with Peas
Serves: 4 to 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
Click here for the printable recipe
1 pound orecchiette
3 lemons
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 small shallot, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
1½ cups frozen peas (optional)
1 to 1½ cups finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving (or Pecorino Romano)
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives, for serving
Instructions
Using a vegetable peeler, remove several wide strips of peel from 1 lemon, avoiding as much of the white pith as possible. Finely zest the remaining 2 lemons and set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the strips of lemon peel as the water heats to lightly infuse it. Once boiling, remove and discard the peel, then season the water generously with salt.
Add the orecchiette and cook until 1 minute shy of al dente according to the package directions. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside in the colander.
Return the same pot to medium-low heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt and cook until very soft, 2 to 3 minutes. You don’t want the shallot to pick up color; you want it to slowly melt into the butter.
Reduce the heat to low. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add about ¾ cup of the reserved pasta water, followed by the drained orecchiette and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Toss to combine.
Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, alternating with handfuls of Parmesan and small splashes of pasta water. Toss continuously until the cheese has melted and a smooth, glossy sauce forms. This may take a few minutes, so be patient and keep the heat low or turn it off completely. Only return the pot to low heat if necessary.
Add the frozen peas and toss until warmed through. Continue adding pasta water as needed, a splash at a time, until the sauce is glossy and slightly looser than you think it should be.
Once the sauce is silky and clings to the pasta, stir in the lemon zest, reserving a small pinch for garnish, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and plenty of black pepper. Taste and add more lemon juice, salt, or black pepper as needed.
Divide among bowls and finish with chopped chives, additional Parmesan, the reserved lemon zest, and more black pepper. Serve immediately.
Recipe note: Don’t be shy with the pasta water. The sauce should look slightly looser than you’d like in the pot, it will continue to thicken as it sits.
Have never even thought about lemon peels in the water while boils!!! Can’t wait to make this one
Making this tonight, gonna crumble and cook some Italian sausage and toss it in.