The recipe for these tagliolini with ham and lemon has the taste of a memory lost in time for me.
The story of this dish: several years ago, there was an inn in the Imola hinterland which my husband, our group of friends, and I were very fond of. The first manager was quite a “character.” Passionate about Indian culture and mysticism, he would entertain customers at their tables, sharing stories of his travels and enjoying a glass of his exceptional grappas or his famous zibibbo, while his wife, a perfect cook, expertly mixed traditional cuisine with new flavors.
We frequented that restaurant for many years. I remember many dishes, which I often miss, and I perfectly remember this first course with ham and lemon. Over time, I have tried to imitate it without ever fully succeeding.
And after all these years, my tagliolini with ham and lemon are my personal imitation and evolution of that dish, replicable in ingredients but not in atmosphere. My husband and I toasted to the memory of the Osteria della nonna and the beautiful evenings spent there. I am not afraid of advertising this inn because it has not existed for many years, and the manager… who knows if he still lives in India… 💝
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 3
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
For 2 generous plates or 3 small ones. 😉
- 8.8 oz egg tagliolini
- 4.2 oz cooked ham (4 slices, but an extra slice won't hurt)
- 1 lemon (juice and zest)
- a quarter of onion
- parsley
- pepper
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- Pasta Cooker
- Pan
- Lemon Zester
- Knife
Steps
Put the water for the pasta to boil, and while waiting for it to boil, prepare the sauce.
Sauté the onion (a quarter of an onion, or half if it’s small) in a sauté pan.
Add the ham cut into strips and drizzle with the juice of half a lemon.
Add the grated zest and a little pepper.
Stir, and let it cook over high heat for a few minutes to flavor the ham, adding the juice of the remaining half lemon and, if necessary, more oil.
Throw in the pasta.
👉 Tagliolini, whether fresh or dried, cook in a few minutes. Anyway, while waiting for them to cook, I recommend turning off the heat under the sauce pan, or putting it to low, to avoid the ham becoming too crispy. Spaghetti are also excellent with this sauce 😉
Drain the tagliolini and pour them into the pan. Toss them with a bit of parsley, and if necessary, a drizzle of oil.
If desired, add more grated lemon zest.
Enjoy your meal!
Update of 12/22/17:
I was reluctant to rephotograph this dish, I’m fond of this old photo, I won’t delete it, I’ll leave it here! Also because it still conveys the goodness of this dish. 😊
Salt-Free Tips
Salt-Free Tip: the lemon: a fantastic ally for low-sodium cooking 😉
If you are interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
▫ Gradually decrease the salt; the palate needs to get used to it gradually and should not notice the progressive reduction.
▫ Use spices. Chili pepper, black pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
▫ Use aromatic herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
▫ Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
▫ Use spicy vegetables or fruit. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
▫ Use my salt-free vegetable granules and gomasio.
▫ Prefer fresh foods.
▫ Avoid cooking in water; prefer cooking methods that do not disperse flavors (grill, foil, steam, microwave)
▫ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!▫ Allow yourself an exception to the rule sometimes. It’s good for your mood and helps perseverance.
If you don’t want to, or can’t, give up salt:
▫ You can still try my recipes, seasoning according to your habits.
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