Marcella Hazans Pasta Al Limone Food

MARCELLA HAZAN'S TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the tomatoes, their juices, the butter and the onion halves in a saucepan. Add a pinch or two of salt.
• Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally, mashing any large pieces of tomato with a spoon. Add salt as needed.
• Discard the onion before tossing the sauce with pasta. This recipe makes enough sauce for a pound of pasta.

LINGUINE AL LIMONE

Steps:

• Carefully remove a thin layer of rind from the lemons using a vegetable peeler. Mince the rind very finely. There will be about 2 tablespoons. Set aside.
• Remove all of the white pith from the lemons and section flesh, discarding membranes and seeds. Set aside.
• In a small heavy saucepan over low heat, bring the cream, brandy and lemon pulp to a boil. Boil gently for 7 to 8 minutes until slightly reduced.
• Cook linguine in lots of boiling salted water until al dente. Place drained linguine in a large, warm bowl and toss with the 2 tablespoons butter. Add sauce and toss to combine. Add Parmesan cheese and toss again.
• Serve immediately with the reserved lemon zest and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

SPAGHETTI AL LIMONE

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, begin to cook the spaghetti.
• While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
• When the pasta is al dente, drain, shaking well to remove all water.
• Add pasta to the melted butter, then add cream, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• Bring to a boil and allow cream to reduce about two minutes.
• Add cheese and toss gently to mix.
• Serve immediately.

MARCELLA HAZAN'S "PASTA AL LIMONE"

Steps:

• In a large skillet, bring the cream and butter to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Add the lemon juice and the zest and reduce the volume by almost half.
• Remove from heat.
• Have your cooked and drained pasta (I like fettucine for this one -- ) ready to go.
• Add the pasta to your skillet with the sauce and toss to coat over medium heat.
• Add the cheese and toss for a few more seconds.
• Serve with additional cheese.
• Note: Marcella calls for the zest of 4 (!) lemons, but I thought it a bit over the top -- just me.

SPAGHETTI AL LIMONE

Steps:

• Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large dutch oven. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 3/4 cups cooking water, drain pasta into colander and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the now-empty pan and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallot and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Whisk 1 1/2 cups of reserved past cooking water and cream into pot; bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat, return pasta and stir until coated. Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, the lemon zest, juice, Parmesan cheese and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• Cover and let pasta stand 2 minutes, tossing frequently and adjusting consistency with remaining 1/4 cup reserved pasta water, if necessary. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, drizzling individual portions with oil and sprinkling with cheese.

PASTA AL LIMONE

Steps:

• Using a vegetable peeler, remove 2"-long strips of lemon zest. Thinly slice each strip lengthwise into thin strands; set aside for serving. Finely grate remaining zest and transfer to a large pot (like a Dutch oven). Cut lemon in half and squeeze out enough juice to yield 2 Tbsp. into a small bowl; set aside.
• Cook pasta in another large pot of boiling heavily salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente (pasta will finish cooking in the sauce).
• Meanwhile, add cream to pot with lemon zest and cook over medium heat, whisking often, until liquid is just beginning to simmer, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Whisk in butter 1 Tbsp. at a time until melted and sauce is creamy and emulsified. Remove from heat.
• Just before pasta is al dente, scoop out 1½ cups pasta cooking liquid. Add ¾ cup pasta cooking liquid to cream sauce and return to medium heat. Using tongs, transfer spaghetti to pot with sauce (it's okay if a little water comes along with it). Cook, tossing often and adding Parmesan little by little, until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy, about 3 minutes. If sauce looks tight, add 1-2 Tbsp. pasta cooking liquid. (Cream sauces tighten up very quickly as they cool, so it's better to lean on the saucier side of things.) Stir in reserved lemon juice; season with more salt, if needed.
• Divide pasta among bowls. Season with pepper, then top with reserved lemon zest strips.