Lemon ‘carbonara’

The decision to stay in Liguria instead of returning to our home in Milan during lockdown in Lombardia was not easy. However, we were surrounded by wonderful cousins (to the delight of our daughter, she has had to always willing playmates!), our aunt (who has loved our daughter as a Nonna would) and…lemon trees! I have found myself adding a little lemon to everything I cook lately, probably because any excuse to go outside and pick a lemon fresh from one of the few trees in the yard is truly invigorating. This recipe comes from my former boss, Mitchell Davis (Chief Strategy Officer of the James Beard Foundation). He posted it on is Instagram. He the reason I moved to Italy in the first place, an amazing cook…when I saw it called for lots of lemon zest, there was no turning back.

For large bowl family of 4-6:

600 gr pasta
2 oz grated parmigiano reggiano
2 oz pecorino sardo (or hard pecorino)
3-4 lemons for zest
3 egg yolks
6 tbs melted butter (unsalted preferable)
A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Ground black pepper

Whisk together zest from three or four large lemons, 2 ounce grated Parmigiano, 2 ounce grated hard pecorino, and a pinch of red pepper flakes until the texture of fine crumbs. Combine with 3 egg yolk, 6 tablespoons melted butter and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Mix into a paste.
Boil and salt pasta water (one small handful of corse salt or 3 tbs). Cook 700 grams pound of long pasta (spaghetti, linguine or similar) perfectly al dente. Set timer for minutes on package. Mix the pasta at least once while boiling since you are cooking for a group, sometimes it sticks.
Remove a ladle of hot pasta water from the top of the pot while pasta cooks.
Drain and dump the hot noodles into the bowl with the paste and, using tongs, toss vigorously to melt the cheese and coat each noodle with the “sauce.”
Add a little pasta water as you mix with tongs so it’s even “saucier.”
Serve immediately. “Try not to eat the whole thing yourself,” wrote Mitchell when he posted on his IG.