Meatless Monday: Lemon Linguine

Italian, Lemon Love, Main Courses, Meatless, Pasta / Monday, February 27th, 2012

If you are a person who gets hungry, you should keep the ingredients for Lemon Linguine on hand at all times.

It’s one of those simple meals you can whip up on days when your brain is tired. When none of the things you bought at the grocery make sense anymore, and you just want something easy to stick in your mouth-hole.

This is easy. And delicious, quick and cheap.

You don’t even have to cook the lemon sauce separately. You just whisk together an egg yolk, cream, Parmesan and lemon juice, and toss it with your linguine.

It smells like spring. Bright and sunny. And that first bite is creamy and so involuntary-groan good. 

Just right for a Saturday lunch or a quick weekday supper.

Curl up with a big bowl on its own, or add whatever’s in the fridge – cherry tomatoes, steamed broccoli, sautéed mushrooms, peas, asparagus, spinach, sliced zucchini. (And, I know today’s Meatless Monday, but this pasta is also incredibly good with chicken, shrimp and fish. Just FYI.)

You might never have to eat peanut butter toast for dinner again.

Lemon Linguine

Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s “Nigella Bites”

Makes 4 big servings

  • 1 pound linguine, uncooked
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1 lemon, zested, and juice of 1/2, plus more juice, as needed
  • Salt
  • Freshly milled black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves, optional
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook according to package directions.
  2. Meanwhile, grab a small bowl, and combine the egg yolk, cream, Parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Taste. Add more lemon juice, if needed.
  3. When the pasta is ready, remove a cup of the cooking liquid, and set aside.
  4. Drain the pasta, and then, off the heat, toss it back in the pot, add the butter, and stir to make sure the butter’s melted and the pasta is covered by it.
  5. Stir in the egg mixture, and turn the pasta well in it, adding 2 tablespoons cooking liquid if it looks a bit dry. Sprinkle parsley (if using) on the pasta, and serve now.

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