See recipe for lemon spaghetti with shrimp – 04/30/2023 – Food

There are many interpretations of “spaghetti al limone”, or spaghetti with lemon, a classic Italian pasta dish. Some call for an Alfredo-type sauce made with cream, butter, and Parmesan, while others rely solely on olive oil, lemon juice, Parmesan, and starchy pasta water.

This particular recipe, which adds sautéed shrimp, white wine and fresh tarragon to the mix, favors a simpler preparation. Without the addition of sour cream, the sauce has a brighter lemon flavor that goes beautifully with the delicate saltiness of the shrimp.

Tarragon adds a fragrant note and a bit of complexity to an otherwise quite simple dish. Finally, if ever there was a time to open your wallet and buy freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, now is the time. In a simple recipe like this one, the quality of each ingredient is important.

SPAGHETTI WITH LEMON WITH SHRIMP

Performance: six servings
Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• Coarse salt and black pepper
• Half a kilo of spaghetti
• One pound of large shrimp (18 to 20 pieces), peeled and finned, with or without tails
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Two lemons, grated (about 1.5 heaping tablespoons), plus three tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, plus more for serving
• Half a cup of dry white wine
• Three tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
• 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

Preparation:

• Boil a large pot of salted water. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until “al dente”.
• Remove a cup of the liquid, drain the pasta and set aside
• While the pasta is cooking, dry the prawns (with paper towels) and season them with salt and black pepper.
• Combine olive oil, lemon zest (reserving a few pinches for serving), and tarragon in a large skillet over medium heat.
• When the oil starts to sizzle, cook for another minute, until the zest and tarragon are fragrant but not browned.
• Add the prawns to the skillet and spread them out in an even layer. Cook for about 90 seconds on each side, or until fully cooked.
• Transfer the prawns to a plate and set aside.
• Add the wine, a teaspoon of salt, and a few black peppercorns to the skillet and bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits that stick to the skillet.
• Cook until the wine has reduced by about half, then set aside, off the heat, until the pasta is done cooking.
• Add cooked pasta and reserved pasta water to skillet. Cook over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the liquid that pooled in the bottom of the skillet has reduced slightly. (At this point, the sauce should still be quite loose.)
• Off the heat, add the butter and half a cup of Parmesan, spreading the cheese evenly over the pasta. Stir until the butter and cheese are melted and the sauce is smooth.
• Add the lemon juice and remaining Parmesan and stir until the sauce is thick and smooth.
• Add the prawns, stir and season with more salt and black pepper to taste. Divide into shallow bowls and garnish with chopped fresh tarragon, lemon zest, and black pepper.

translation by Paulo Migliacci