3 minute read
ELENA’S SEASONAL FLAVORS
WISHING FOR SPRING A TASTE OF SORRENTO BY ELENA D’AGOSTINO
re you craving a different pasta dish that is refreshing, tasty and light? Ten this recipe is made just for you! Best of all, you can to make this dish in just 20 minutes. My hands still smell like lemons while I write this – just imagine the delicious aroma in your kitchen while you make it!
Did you know that you can find up to 200 distinct varieties of lemon in the U.S.? But if you ever taste one, the Sorrento lemon would quickly become your favorite. Tese lemons grow along the Sorrento coastline, which is not just a marvelous tourist destination in Southern Italy, but a renowned area of citrus trees plantations. Te typical fruit grown there is the “Limone di Sorrento,” traditionally A
Chef Elena D’Agostino is well known for her delicious handmade pasta, which stands to reason as Italian cuisine is her birthright – she was born and raised in northern Italy in Torino. Now at the helm of her own company, she is delighted to be doing what she loves most, teaching and sharing her love of cooking and making pasta. Shelearnedthere was great interest in the art of pasta-making, and after teaching a class with the Saint City Supper Club a couple of years ago, she designed her own program. Today, she ofers wonderful cooking classes as well as personal chef services for private dinners and events–and she couldn’t be happier. If you’re interested in discovering the world of pastaor want to learn more about authentic Italian cuisine, this local chef is our resident expert. Visitwww.elenadagostino.com to learn more about her work and services. For this issue, Chef D’Agostino preparedan Italian classic from Sorrento using lemons and basil. Perfect to bring in a taste of spring as the winter season passes, this recipe will also leave traces of the delightful scent of lemons in your kitchen. &OKPZ
used to produce alcoholic beverages such as limoncello, as well as some delicious Italian desserts like the soft, spongy, limoncello-soaked Babà cakes.
In Sorrento, it’s common to eat lemons picked off a tree like an apple, sprinkled with sugar. Many also slice them paper thin and stuff them inside a whole fish or add them on top of fish fillets before baking. Te lemons are always hand-picked (they can’t be machine-harvested or picked wet).
Most lemons are sorted according to color, washed, coated with a fungicide to prevent stem-end rot and a thin layer of wax for preservation and beauty, then stored until ready for shipping. Remember to always wash the lemons carefully before using them. Let’s cook this!
LINGUINE, LEMON AND FRESH BASIL
5)&3&$*1& */(3&%*&/54 TFSWFTQFPQMF 380 grams linguine (or bow ties or fettuccine) 2 fresh lemons, washed 1 tablespoon vodka or limoncello 4 or 5 basil leaves (or ... fresh mint!) 1 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons HSBUFE Parmigiano-Reggiano 1 shallot, minced Olive oil and salt 0QUJPOBMUFBTQPPOQJOLQFQQFSDPSOPSCMBDL QFQQFSPS JGZPVMJLFBIJOUPGTQJDZ GSFTISFE QFQQFST %*3&$5*0/4 Boil a pot full of salted water and cook the pasta. I prefer to strain the pasta 1 minute before the suggested cooking time on the box, for a better BMEFOUFresult. (5JQ"EETPNF MFNPOMFBWFTPSMFNPO[FTUUPXBUFSGPSFYUSBGMBWPS In the meantime, soften minced shallot in a pan with olive oil, add a spoon of vodka (or limoncello, if you have it) and let it evaporate. Then add heavy cream (for extra flavor, the night before, add lemon zest to heavy cream and boil it for a couple of minutes and allow to infuse overnight in the refrigerator), lemon zest and juice of the lemons. Let the cream reduce and adjust with salt to the taste. Strain pasta and transfer to pan with the pasta sauce, add Parmigiano and stir it for about 30 seconds. Plate the pasta and add fresh basil, pink peppercorn and, if you like, extra lemon zest and fresh Parmigiano grated on top. #VPOBQQFUJUP
