Lemon Butter Pasta with Garlic and Parmesan
A quick and delicious lemon butter pasta with garlic and Parmesan A perfect combination of simple flavors for a week night dinner.
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
- 200 grams dried pasta (or 300 grams fresh)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
- 70 grams butter cold from fridge cut into four cubes
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice depending on your preference
- 40 grams Parmesan cheese finely grated
- ½ cup Italian parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Get your pasta cooking in a pot of well salted boiling water, reserving a cup of pasta water before draining.
- When your pasta is almost cooked start the sauce.
- Cook the garlic in the olive oil over medium heat for a 1-2 minutes, it should only be lightly sizzling. Move it around with a wooden spoon so it doesn't brown.
- Add the lemon zest and red pepper flakes if using and let it sizzle gently for 30 seconds.
- Add ½ cup pasta water and let it gently simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Add your cooked pasta in with the cubes of butter, tossing constantly until the butter melts and emulsifies with the pasta water to create a glossy sauce
- Mix the lemon juice through.
- Turn the heat to low and sprinkle the grated Parmesan in an even layer on top, let it melt undisturbed for 1-2 minutes then using tongs swirl the pasta around and around until a glossy sauce appears.
- Add with a splash more pasta water and toss well if you need to loosen.
- Taste for seasoning, adding more lemon juice if you wish. Toss the parsley through off the heat and serve immediately.
Notes
Parmesan - Finely grate the parmesan so it melts smoothly into the sauce. Coarsely grated cheese can clump instead of emulsifying. Use a microplane or my favorite trick is to blitz some cubes in a smoothie maker.
Lemon juice - Lemons vary in acidity, so start with 1 tablespoon and you can always add more.
Keep the heat gentle - The sauce should be lightly bubbling, not boiling aggressively. Too much heat can cause the butter and cheese to separate.
Serve immediately - This sauce is at its glossiest straight from the pan. Like most emulsified pasta sauces, it will thicken as it sits.