Pasta Al Limone

Variations

There are some versions of pasta with lemon sauce on the web. Jamie Oliver makes a creamy one from olive oil and Parmesan and then adds basil and rocket (he apparently shares my wish for a vegetable-extra). Most of the recipes use mainly butter, Parmesan, and pasta cooking water. But there are also variations with cream. Also, variations with zucchini and lemon. Or lemon and green long beans. The best of everything is now combined here – and yet the recipe is very easy and quick to make. If this version existed in Italy, it would be called “Pasta al Limone con Zucchine e Fagioli”. Everything just sounds better in Italian.

Origin

By the way, pasta al limone comes from Campania, the area around Naples with Amalfi and Sorrento. Lemons generally grow all over southern Italy, but those from this area are said to be very special. The “Sfusato Amalfitana” is even protected under the name “ Limone Costa d’Amalfi IGP” at European level. Sfusato refers to the elongated, slim and distinctive shape of the lemon. Amalfitana describes the origin, namely the Amalfi Coast. The lemons are said to have a noticeably light skin and to be one of the richest in vitamin C. They are also quite large, but hardly contain any seeds. Incidentally, the Italian lemon liqueur “Limoncello” also comes from the area.

Do you know the land where the lemons blossom?

With the words “Do you know the land where the lemons blossom?” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe described in one of his most famous poems the Germans’ longing for Italy – and that of the Austrians: While I am writing this, I am counting the hours until the vacation: We are flying to Campania in a few days!! Yippieh! And I would like to take a few lemons with me and try growing a small tree from the freshly harvested rare kernels (rarely that I am happy about lemon kernels …). Maybe in a few years there will be original Amalfi lemons in Vienna, hihi. Would be nice. I love taking flower seeds with me from vacation and every year I have beautiful pink plants from Albania on the terrace and very delicious tomatoes from Bulgaria. Until then, let’s enjoy the supermarket lemons (please make sure that they are organic, we don’t want to eat pesticides), this dish will also be very tasty with them.

Did you try this recipe?

I would love to see the result – and share it. So please do not forget to tag me on Instagram: @plantbased.redhead.cooks

Furthermore, I am also looking forward to your comment, no matter if you want to tell me how good it was, or if you have some suggestions or questions.