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20 min

2,420,012 views What's better than pasta aglio olio? Very few things, but one of them is its saucy cousin, pasta al limone. Traditionally a creamy emulsion of oil, lemon, and pasta water, this simple but indulgent dish can be amped up a number of ways. Let's lemon! Or something.
2 Servings
US
original
metric
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
Original
INGREDIENTS

For the Homemade Pasta

all purpose flour

3 eggs

salt

For the Pasta Al Limone

1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced

parsley, chopped

1 large lemon

pasta

2 ½ tbsp olive oil

1 tsp chili flakes

1 large lemon, zested

freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon, juiced

kosher salt

2 ½ oz parmesan cheese, grated
TOOLS

measuring cups and spoons set

mixing bowls

plastic wrap

rolling pin

paring knife

sauce pot

Chef’s knife
cutting board

high walled saute pan

strainer or mesh sieve

metal tongs for serving

grater
DIRECTIONS
1.
For the Homemade Pasta
1.
In a large bowl, shape all-purpose flour into a crater, crack in eggs, a pinch of salt and begin mixing it until a slurry forms. Toss it together until a ball of dough forms. Knead continuously for 7-10 minutes. Wrap in plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

all purpose flour

3 eggs

salt

measuring cups and spoons set

rolling pin

mixing bowls
2.
To roll out, generously flour the dough and work surface before rolling the dough out with a roller to a thickness of 1 ml. Generously flour and fold like an accordion, making sure that each fold does not overlap.

For the Homemade Pasta

rolling pin
3.
Using a sharp knife, slice the dough into the desired size before unfolding and twisting into nests to prevent pasta kinks.

For the Homemade Pasta

paring knife
4.
In a sauce pot, bring just enough water to cover the pasta to a boil before adding in the pasta. Make sure to stir after adding the pasta to ensure no sticking.

For the Homemade Pasta

sauce pot

strainer or mesh sieve
5.
For the Pasta Al Limone
1.
Start by peeling and thinly slicing garlic. Then, roughly or finely chop some fresh parsley and roll lemon along a work surface before cutting it in half.

1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced

parsley, chopped

1 large lemon

Chef’s knife
cutting board
2.
To create the Al Limone sauce, add olive oil to a cold high-walled saute pan. Add sliced garlic, chili flakes, the lemon zest, and some freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes over medium-low heat.

2 ½ tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced

1 tsp chili flakes

1 large lemon, zested

freshly ground black pepper

high walled saute pan
3.
Once the garlic is a light blonde, dump in the pasta if using store-bought (1-2 minutes shy of being done), and if using fresh pasta only boil for 30 seconds before adding.

pasta

1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced

high walled saute pan
4.
Once pasta is added, give everything a toss to fully incorporate everything.

metal tongs for serving

high walled saute pan
5.
Over medium-low heat add the lemon juice, a small pour of olive oil, freshly chopped parsley, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Stir together until combined.

1 lemon, juiced

2 ½ tbsp olive oil

parsley, chopped

2 ½ oz parmesan cheese, grated

metal tongs for serving

grater

high walled saute pan
6.
After everything has been combined, add in ¼ cup of boiling pasta water and toss together. Add a splash at a time as necessary, checking to see if it’s too thick or thin. If too thick, add more pasta water. If too thin, add more cheese. Season with kosher salt.

kosher salt

2 ½ oz parmesan cheese, grated

measuring cups and spoons set
7.
Once the sauce has reached the desired consistency, twist up and serve. Garnish with extra grated Parmigiano Reggiano, chopped parsley, and grated lemon zest.

2 ½ oz parmesan cheese, grated

parsley, chopped

1 large lemon, zested

metal tongs for serving
American
INGREDIENTS

1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced

parsley, chopped

1 large lemon

pasta

olive oil

1 tsp chili flakes

1 large lemon, zested (separate)

1 lemon, juiced

freshly ground black pepper

kosher salt

2 ½ oz parmesan cheese, grated

1 tbsp butter

½ cup heavy cream
TOOLS

measuring cups and spoons set

plastic wrap

rolling pin

paring knife

sauce pot

Chef’s knife
cutting board

high walled saute pan

wooden spoon

strainer or mesh sieve

metal tongs for serving

grater
DIRECTIONS
1.
Start by peeling and thinly slicing garlic. Then, roughly or finely chop some fresh parsley and roll 1 large lemon along a work surface before cutting it in half.

1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced

parsley, chopped

Chef’s knife
cutting board
2.
In a sauce pot, bring just enough water to cover the pasta to a boil before adding in the pasta. Make sure to stir after adding the pasta to ensure no sticking.

pasta

sauce pot
3.
To create the Al Limone sauce, add olive oil, sliced garlic, chili flakes, lemon zest, freshly ground black pepper, butter, and heavy cream into a high-walled saute pan. Mix to combine.

olive oil

1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced

1 tsp chili flakes

1 large lemon, zested (separate)

freshly ground black pepper

½ cup heavy cream

1 tbsp butter

high walled saute pan

wooden spoon
4.
Once combined, dump in the pasta if using store-bought (1-2 minutes shy of being done), and if using fresh pasta only boil for 30 seconds before adding.

pasta

high walled saute pan
5.
Once pasta is added, give everything a toss to fully incorporate everything.

metal tongs for serving

high walled saute pan
6.
Over medium-low heat add the juice of either ½ a lemon or the juice of 1 whole lemon, a small pour of olive oil, freshly chopped parsley, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Stir together until combined.

1 lemon, juiced

olive oil

parsley, chopped

2 ½ oz parmesan cheese, grated

high walled saute pan

metal tongs for serving

grater
7.
After everything has been combined, add in ¼ cup of boiling pasta water and toss together. Add a splash at a time as necessary, checking to see if it’s too thick or thin. If too thick, add more pasta water. If too thin, add more cheese. Season with kosher salt.

kosher salt

2 ½ oz parmesan cheese, grated

high walled saute pan

metal tongs for serving
8.
Once the sauce has reached the desired consistency, twist up and serve. Garnish with extra grated Parmigiano Reggiano, chopped parsley, and grated lemon zest.

parsley, chopped

1 large lemon, zested (separate)

2 ½ oz parmesan cheese, grated

metal tongs for serving

grater
Slurry
INGREDIENTS

1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced

Parsley, chopped

1 large lemon

Pasta

Olive oil

1 tsp chili flakes

1 large lemon zest, separately

Freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon juice

Kosher salt

parmesan cheese, as needed

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp cream

3 oz parmesan cheese, grated
TOOLS

measuring cups and spoons set

mixing bowls

whisk

plastic wrap

rolling pin

paring knife

sauce pot

Chef’s knife
cutting board

high walled saute pan

wooden spoon

strainer or mesh sieve

metal tongs for serving

grater
DIRECTIONS
1.
In a medium-sized bowl, crack in egg, egg yolk, cream, and grated parmesan cheese. Whisk to combine.

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp cream

3 oz parmesan cheese, grated

mixing bowls

grater

whisk
2.
In a sauce pot, bring just enough water to cover the pasta to a boil before adding in the pasta. Make sure to stir after adding the pasta to ensure no sticking.

Pasta

sauce pot

wooden spoon
3.
Start by peeling and thinly slicing garlic. Then, roughly or finely chop some fresh parsley and roll 1 large lemon along a work surface before cutting it in half.

1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced

Parsley, chopped

1 large lemon

Chef’s knife
cutting board
4.
To create Al Limone sauce, into a high-walled saute pan goes olive oil, sliced garlic from earlier, chili flakes, the lemon zest, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix to combine.

Olive oil

1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced

1 tsp chili flakes

1 large lemon zest, separately

Freshly ground black pepper

high walled saute pan

wooden spoon
5.
Once combined, dump in the pasta if using store-bought (1-2 minutes shy of being done), and if using fresh pasta only boil for 30 seconds before adding.

Pasta

high walled saute pan
6.
Once pasta is added, give everything a toss to fully incorporate everything.

wooden spoon

metal tongs for serving
7.
Over medium-low heat add the lemon juice, a small pour of olive oil, and freshly chopped parsley. Stir together until combined.
1 lemon juice

Olive oil

Parsley, chopped

high walled saute pan

wooden spoon
8.
After everything has been combined, add in ¼ cup of boiling pasta water and toss together. Add a splash at a time as necessary, checking to see if it’s too thick or thin. If too thick, add more pasta water. If too thin, add more cheese.

wooden spoon

high walled saute pan
9.
Off the heat, slowly add in the egg slurry while simultaneously stirring the pasta and adding pasta water if needed. Season to taste with kosher salt.

Kosher salt

metal tongs for serving
10.
Once the sauce has reached the desired consistency, twist up and serve. Garnish with extra grated Parmigiano Reggiano, chopped parsley, and grated lemon zest.

parmesan cheese, as needed

1 large lemon zest, separately

Parsley, chopped

metal tongs for serving
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