One of the most mouth-watering dishes we’ve enjoyed in Italy was prepared for us by our friend and host, Vern Willey, formerly of Hartford and now a resident of glorious Treviso.
Pasta limone, as Vern calls it, was first served to him by neighbors in Positano, when Vern was stationed there decades ago with the U.S. Coast Guard. It seems Vern took it upon himself to write a letter from Italy to the commandant in Washington, explaining why it would improve relations between our two countries if Vern could receive permission to live off base in a tiny apartment in the village of Positano. Slapping his thigh, Vern chortled, “They said, ‘Good idea!’ ”
The studio he found was the size of a small closet since the Coast Guard’s stipend was minuscule. Luckily that closet was well positioned.
Everyone loves Vern, as I witnessed on our daily rounds in Treviso, so it’s no surprise that he was adopted immediately by a Positano family who cooked for him regularly in their tiny apartment upstairs. (They are still dear friends today, and Vern now cooks one of their remarkable dishes frequently for his partner and guests. Lucky us, and now lucky you!)
This lemon pasta recipe couldn’t be simpler, and it’s fall-down fabulous, combing Parmigiano-Reggiano and the juice and zest of lemons. (The toasted pine nuts were added by Faith the second time we made it in Treviso, with Vern’s full approval.)
Enjoy this dish with dry white wines, especially a well-chilled Prosecco or Pinot grigio.
- 1 1 lb. box spaghetti
- 3 lemons zest of
- 3 lemons juice of
- 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano freshly grated
- 1/4 cup pine nuts toasted
- 1/2 cup olive oil extra virgin
- 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes to taste, if desired
- Place a teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet on the stove top with the burner set on medium or medium low. Add the pine nuts and stir them until they brown on both sides. Watch them carefully because they can turn brown quickly! Set them aside for garnishing later.
- After zesting the lemons and chopping the parsley, set aside 1/3 of each for garnishing later. In a medium-sized bowl, add the remaining zest, lemon juice, parsley, salt, pepper, and olive oil, and whisk until blended. Let the mixture stand while the pasta water is heating.
- Cook the pasta in salted, boiling water until the spaghetti is al dente (has a little chew), and then drain it. Return the drained pasta immediately to the same cooking pot, off the heat. Quickly add the olive oil and lemon mixture, grated fresh Parmesan, and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes, if using. Mix the pasta and sauce well to combine and so the cheese coats the strands. Taste it to see if it needs anything more, like salt, pepper, cheese, or lemon juice. Toss it again. Plate the pasta and on each serving sprinkle on the reserved parsley and the remaining lemon zest.
Serve the meal with an extra bowl of freshly-grated Parmesan cheese on the table. Bon appetito!
