Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 1/2 lbs rigatoni (or other tube-shaped pasta)
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 small garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest (~1 large lemon)
- 1/3 cup lemon juice (~2-3 lemons)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups pasta water (reserved)
- ~4 oz grated Parmesan (~1 cup)
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- Julienned basil, extra Parmesan, and lemon zest for serving
Toast the Pine Nuts
In a small pan, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
Add 1/3 cup pine nuts and cook, stirring constantly, for ~2-3 minutes until they’re golden brown and smell nutty.
Spoon the pine nuts onto a plate and hit them with a pinch of salt; set aside.
Pine nuts go from perfect to burnt in about 10 seconds, so don’t walk away from the pan.
Cook the Pasta and Start the Sauce
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook 1 1/2 lbs rigatoni, stirring frequently, for one minute less than the package directions say for al dente.
Before you drain, reserve 2 cups of the starchy pasta water – you’ll need it.
While the pasta cooks, melt 6 Tbsp butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for ~30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
Stir in 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest, 1/3 cup lemon juice, and 1 1/2 cups heavy cream; whisk until smooth.
Let this simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the pasta finishes cooking.
Bring It All Together
Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water to the cream sauce and stir until it’s smooth and slightly thickened.
Toss the drained pasta with the sauce, then add the grated Parmesan in small handfuls, stirring constantly until each addition melts completely.
If the sauce looks too thick, add more pasta water a splash at a time – I usually end up using about 1 1/2 cups total.
The sauce should coat the pasta nicely but not be gluey.
Taste and add salt if needed; the Parmesan is already salty so go easy.
Serve
Divide the pasta between bowls and top with the toasted pine nuts, julienned basil, extra Parmesan, and freshly-ground black pepper.
The pine nuts will start to soften after a few minutes, so serve immediately while they’re still crunchy.
Creamy Lemon Pasta with Fried Pine Nuts
Ingredients
Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1 1/2 lbs rigatoni or other tube-shaped pasta
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 small garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest ~1 large lemon
- 1/3 cup lemon juice ~2-3 lemons
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups pasta water reserved
- ~4 oz grated Parmesan ~1 cup
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
- Julienned basil extra Parmesan, and lemon zest for serving
Instructions
- Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a small pan over medium heat.
- Add 1/3 cup pine nuts and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
- Transfer pine nuts to a plate, sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt, and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 1 1/2 lbs rigatoni for one minute less than package directions for al dente.
- Reserve 2 cups pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, melt 6 Tbsp unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest, 1/3 cup lemon juice, and 1 1/2 cups heavy cream; whisk until smooth.
- Simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, until pasta is done.
- Add 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to the cream sauce and stir until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Add drained pasta to the sauce and toss to combine.
- Add 1 cup grated Parmesan in small handfuls, stirring constantly until melted.
- Add more pasta water as needed until sauce coats pasta without being gluey.
- Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Divide pasta between bowls and top with toasted pine nuts, julienned basil, extra Parmesan, and black pepper.
