Pasta al Limone (Creamy Lemon Pasta)

Bright lemon-cream spaghetti — Molly Baz / Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

• 4 servings
• Prep ~5 min
• Cook ~15 min
• Italian

Source: Molly Makes Pasta al Limone — Bon Appétit Test Kitchen (YouTube) · recipe at bonappetit.com

Ingredients

• 1 lemon
• 12 oz (340 g) spaghetti or other long pasta
• Kosher salt
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 oz (85 g) finely grated Parmesan (~¾ cup)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove two 2-inch strips of zest from the lemon. Thinly slice into strands and set aside for serving. Finely grate the remaining zest into a large pot. Squeeze 2 Tbsp lemon juice into a small bowl and set aside.
2. Cook the spaghetti in boiling heavily salted water until very al dente (it will finish in the sauce).
3. Meanwhile add the cream to the pot with lemon zest and cook over medium heat, whisking, until just beginning to simmer (~2 minutes). Reduce to medium-low. Whisk in the butter 1 Tbsp at a time until the sauce is creamy and emulsified.
4. Scoop out 1½ cups pasta water. Add ¾ cup pasta water to the cream sauce. Transfer spaghetti to the sauce. Cook, tossing, adding Parmesan gradually, until cheese melts and sauce coats the pasta (add more pasta water if needed). Stir in reserved lemon juice; season with salt.
5. Divide among bowls. Season with black pepper and garnish with reserved lemon zest strips.

Salt generously and taste as you go — the sauce needs more salt than you expect.
Adapted from Bon Appétit / Molly Baz (Test Kitchen video + published recipe).