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Tagliatelle al Limone

In the midst of winter, Tagliatelle al Limone is the promise of spring! The rich egg pasta is balanced with the clean zip from the lemons and the fresh thyme adds an earthy and sweet element that rounds out the dish perfectly. Tagliatelle al Limone makes a delicious first course or light meal and if you add grilled shrimp, it can be transformed into sheer elegance. Serve it with a crisp white wine and it will have you dreaming of sun kissed tans, tank tops, and bonfires at the beach. Now you know where my mind is!
Tip: For a quick and easy weeknight dinner, forgo making the fresh tagliatelle and substitute one pound of pre-packaged egg fettucine and it will be ready in a matter of minutes.
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Servings: 4 people
Course: Pasta
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the Tagliatelle
  • 3 cups flour
  • 4 medium sized eggs
  • 2 lemons, zested
  • 1/4 tspn salt
  • 1 tbspn olive oil
  • flour as needed to prevent sticking
For the Lemon Sauce
  • 2 medium sized lemons, juice and zest
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 6 tbspn butter
  • 3/4 cup Parmiggiano Reggiano
  • freshly ground black pepper qb
  • thyme for garnish

Method
 

For the Tagliatelle
  1. Add the flour to the bowl of your stand mixer.
  2. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the eggs and lemon zest.
  3. Add salt.
  4. Add olive oil.
  5. Using a fork, break the egg yolks and begin to mix.
  6. Add water in small increments until the dough comes together. Depending on the size of your eggs, the dough may need more or less water, so start slow.
  7. Continue to add water until the dough is no longer shaggy. Use your hands to form it into a ball. It should look like this.
  8. Attach the dough hook to your stand mixer and knead on medium-low speed for five to six minutes.
  9. Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and let it rest for thirty minutes.
  10. After the dough has rested, set the rollers of the pasta machine to its widest setting.
  11. Using a pastry cutter or knife, cut the dough into quarters. Remove one quarter of the dough and cover the remaining dough so it doesn't dry out.
  12. Dust the dough with flour so it doesn't stick to the pasta machine, flatten it with your hands and run it through the roller.
  13. Change the setting to the next widest setting and repeat. Continue the process until the dough is about 1/16" thick. On my Kitchen Aid attachment, it's number 4.
  14. Trim the ends of the sheet so they are square. Let the sheets dry for two to three minutes on each side.
  15. Sprinkle with flour and then wrap the pasta sheets into loose rolls, without pressing, seam side up.
  16. Using a knife, cut the pasta into 1/4" wide strips.
  17. Unwrap the rolls by gently picking up the end of the tagliatelle and letting them unravel.
  18. Wind them into a nest and let them dry on a lightly floured work surface.
For the sauce
  1. Begin by adding the lemon zest and juice to a large sauce pan.
  2. Add cream to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking often, until the sauce begins to simmer.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and whisk in the butter until it is melted.
  4. Boil the tagliatelle in salted water and cook for two to three minutes or until the pasta rises to the surface.
  5. Remove the pasta from the water and add to the saucepan.
  6. Saute for a few minutes, stirring gently. Add the Parmiggiano-Reggiano along with a ladleful of pasta water to loosen the sauce.
  7. Add a few cracks of freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with chopped fresh thyme and you're ready to serve!