Hang onto Summer with this Recipe for Tagliolini al Limone

Issue #49

Chef Claudio Lanuto’s tagliolini al limone is the essence of the Amalfi Coast

What does summer taste like? A juicy, ripe tomato? Fresh figs just plucked from the tree? How about bright, citrusy lemons? Summer may be coming to an end, but whether you spent any time this summer in Italy or not, you can hang onto the season a bit longer by making the deliciously simple dish of tagliolini al limone. 

This recipe is one of the dishes I made in a cooking class at Anantara Convento di Amalfi when I stayed there in May. Perched on a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean and the historic center of Amalfi, the hotel has gardens where lemon trees grow, providing the fruit used in this and many other recipes. Indeed, the Amalfi Coast is famous for growing big, juicy lemons with a thick skin, which locals use in all kinds of recipes, from limoncello to delizia al limone and, yes, even pasta with lemon. 

Executive chef Claudio Lanuto’s version of tagliolini al limone was so sublime that I asked for the recipe and tried to replicate it at home. I cheated a bit and used store bought pasta instead of making fresh pasta from scratch. I’m sure it would be better with fresh homemade pasta, but trust me, this sauce is so exquisite it will transport you to the Amalfi Coast even if you use store-bought pasta. It’s just a matter of getting the ingredients to meld together to create a velvety sauce. The first time I made it, it ended up a bit too dry, but the second time it was perfect. 

If you’re not able to get lemons from the Amalfi Coast, try to find lemons with a thick skin. Other than that, all you need to create the sauce is butter and some good parmigiano reggiano. Since there are only three ingredients in this dish, you really want to use the best quality you can find. Though Chef Claudio’s original recipe calls for fresh tagliolini, any long pasta will do. I’ve made this dish with both fresh pasta and dry linguine and either one is fine. 

At the Anantara Convento di Amalfi, they use every part of the lemons that grow in their garden

Tagliolini al Limone

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 200-250 grams (about 7-9 ounces) tagliolini or other long pasta 

• 25 grams (a little less than 1 ounce) butter 

• 25 grams parmigiano reggiano

• 1 large lemon, preferably from the Amalfi Coast

• Salt

Directions:

Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil, then add a tablespoon of salt. In the meantime, grate the lemon and set the zest aside. When you have grated all the skin off, cut the lemon in half and squeeze it. Set the juice aside.

In a large pan, melt the butter and add the lemon zest, cooking over low heat. Add the lemon juice and season with a bit of salt. Toss the pasta into the pot of boiling water. If using fresh pasta, you should only need to boil it for two or three minutes before transferring it to the pan. If using dry pasta, set a timer for three minutes less than the amount of time listed on the package. 

When the timer goes off, transfer the pasta to the pan with the sauce using a spaghetti spoon. Turn up the heat and add a ladle of cooking water to the sauce. Set a timer for three minutes and continue to cook the pasta in the sauce, adding a little bit of cooking water if it gets too dry. Add the parmigiano and toss the pasta so everything blends together. Grate a bit more parmigiano on top and serve.

Further Reading

• Ready to plan a trip? Check out my guide to 72 hours on the Amalfi Coast.

• For Italy Magazine, I reviewed the Anantara Convento di Amalfi. Read my review here. 

• Not sure which kind of lemons to use? Tasting Table has a handy guide to 31 types of lemons and what makes them unique.

• In case you missed it, in issue #16 I shared my tips for how to make perfect pasta every time.

• You can see all the recipes in the New Roman Times’ archive here.