Almond pesto linguine are the perfect solution when you want an elegant first course that’s incredibly quick to make. In this recipe, the delicate flavor of the nuts meets the bright citrus freshness of lemon and the enveloping creaminess of stracciatella, creating a contrast of textures that will win you over at the first bite.
Forget the usual store-bought sauce: here I reveal how to turn a few simple ingredients into a restaurant-worthy dish, ideal for a last-minute dinner or to impress friends with a “chic” and very fragrant touch.
If you love creamy first courses like this, try also:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2 Servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for almond pesto linguine, a super creamy and lemon-scented first course!
- 7 oz linguine
- Almond pesto
- 5 oz stracciatella
- grated lemon zest (with edible peel) (zest of half a lemon)
- 1 tbsp sliced almonds
- 0.5 cup pasta cooking water (reserved for emulsifying the pasta at the end of cooking)
Useful tools
- Pot
- Pan
- Wooden spoon
- Kitchen scale
- Grater
Preparation of almond pesto and stracciatella linguine scented with lemon
Start by bringing the water for the pasta to a boil and salt it with coarse salt.
When the water boils, add the linguine, wait for them to sink and stir; allow about 10 minutes of cooking (each pasta is different so check the package).
Shortly before draining the pasta, set aside 1 ladle of the cooking water.
Drain the linguine al dente, transfer them to the pan, pour in the entire jar of almond pesto, add the reserved ladle of water and mix; turn the heat to medium and continue stirring for 2 minutes.
If the creaminess is to your liking, remove from the heat and plate (otherwise add a little more cooking water).
Before serving, place the stracciatella on top of each plate and grate a good amount of lemon zest over it, then serve and enjoy this super creamy and tasty first course!
Notes
To make the stracciatella creamier, take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before using.
Before serving you can garnish with a few fresh basil leaves.
