Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta Base
- 450 g linguine, dried
- 4000 ml water
- 30 g salt
Lemon Cream Sauce
- 240 ml heavy cream
- 1 lemon
- 60 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 20 g fresh chives, finely chopped
- black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 419 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbohydrates
- 31 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 3222 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 17 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 124 mg
- Potassium
- 156 mg
- Calcium
- 263 mg
- Iron
- 1.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 42 mg
- Phosphorus
- 205 mg
- Zinc
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 330 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 17 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.22 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.36 mg
- Niacin
- 1.5 mg
- Folate
- 55 mcg
- Water
- 1139 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. While waiting, zest the lemon completely and juice it, keeping the two separated. Finely chop the fresh chives.
Add the linguine to the boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions for al dente. Reserve 120ml (approx. 1/2 cup) of starchy pasta water before draining.
About 3 minutes before the pasta is done, add the heavy cream and lemon zest to a large skillet over medium heat. Simmer gently until slightly thickened.
Transfer the drained pasta directly into the skillet with the cream. Add half the reserved pasta water. Toss continuously with tongs over medium heat for 1 minute until the sauce clings to the noodles.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Immediately sprinkle in the grated parmesan and pour in the lemon juice. Toss vigorously to emulsify into a smooth, glossy sauce. Add more pasta water if the sauce looks too dry.
Stir in the chopped chives and season with freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Always grate your own parmesan. Pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting into a smooth emulsion.
- The starch in the pasta water is the secret ingredient; it acts as a binder between the water content in the lemon juice and the fat in the cream.
- For an extra layer of flavor, lightly toast whole peppercorns in a dry pan before crushing them for the garnish.
- If you want to use Crème Fraîche instead of heavy cream, skip the lemon juice as the crème fraîche already provides acidity.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Sauce may thicken significantly; reheat gently with a splash of water.
Reheating: Warm in a pan over low heat with a splash of water or milk to re-emulsify the sauce.
Troubleshooting
Sauce looks curdled or grainy
Cause: The acidity of the lemon juice reacted with the hot cream, or the heat was too high when adding cheese
Fix: Add a splash of reserved pasta water and whisk vigorously; the starch may help bring it back together
Prevention: Always remove the pan from heat before adding lemon juice and cheese
Pasta is mushy
Cause: Overcooked in the boiling water before finishing in the sauce
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Drain pasta 2 minutes before it is fully cooked
Cultural Context
This dish is a variation of Pasta al Limone, a staple of Southern Italian cooking, particularly in the Amalfi Coast and Sicily where lemons grow in abundance. The addition of chives introduces a mild allium note common in modern continental cuisine, bridging the gap between a rustic Italian summer dish and a French cream sauce.
