Lemony Salmon Cacio E Pepe Linguine Recipes

LEMONY CACIO E PEPE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti al dente according to package directions. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water and drain.
• Add 4 tablespoons of the butter to a large, straight-sided pan and heat over medium. Once melted, add the pepper and toast for about 1 minute and 30 seconds. Add in about 1 1/4 cups of the reserved pasta water and the lemon zest, bring to a light simmer. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the cooked spaghetti, Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano-Reggiano and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Using tongs or two wooden spoons, toss the pasta and cheese together, incorporating about 1/2 additional cup more pasta water. Keep tossing the pasta until the cheese has completely melted and the sauce is silky and coating the pasta, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and chives and toss to combine. Serve immediately, topped with extra Pecorino Romano and black pepper.

LEMONY SALMON & CACIO E PEPE LINGUINE

Steps:

• Prep the ingredients: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of water with a large pinch of salt to a boil. Zest and halve the lemon. Slice one half into rounds for garnish, if desired. Mince or grate the garlic.
• Add the broccoli to the boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes, until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. TIP: To preserve its bright green color, place the broccoli in a bowl of ice water after cooking.
• Cook the pasta: Add the linguine to the boiling water you cooked the broccoli in and cook for 8-10 minutes, until al dente. Drain, reserving ¼ cup pasta water.
• Roast the tomatoes: Toss the tomatoes on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until they burst.
• Cook the salmon: While the tomatoes roast, heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and season on all sides with salt and pepper. Add the salmon to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until just opaque in the middle. Set aside.
• In the same pan, heat 2 Tablespoons butter, the garlic, and chili flakes (to taste, we used 1/4 teaspoon) over medium heat. Cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Toss the drained pasta, lemon zest, Parmesan, broccoli, burst tomatoes, and ¼ cup pasta water into the pan and toss to combine. Cook, tossing, for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
• Serve the linguine with the salmon on top and finish with a squeeze of lemon. Garnish with a lemon round, if desired, and enjoy!

CACIO E PEPE WITH LEMON

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than called for in package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
• Transfer pasta to a 12-inch skillet (preferably nonstick). Add butter and 1/2 cup pasta water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. The heat helps the starch in the water meld with the fat from the butter, which prevents the Grana Padano from becoming stringy in the finished dish.
• Reduce heat to low, and mix in Grana Padano and cracked pepper. Grana Padano is softer than Pecorino Romano; it will melt into the buttery water, creating a sauce as the pasta finishes cooking.
• Toss pasta with tongs to thoroughly coat it with sauce. Keep everything at a gentle simmer just until cheese melts and sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute.
• Remove from heat, then stir in Pecorino Romano. (Always add Pecorino off direct heat; it clumps when cooked.) Zest lemon over the pasta. Any type of lemon will do, but a Meyer is particularly nice in this dish: It's sweeter in flavor and aroma, with back notes of orange and lime. At this time of year, you'll find Meyer lemons at specialty-food stores and some supermarkets.
• If pasta looks dry, toss it with a bit more pasta water until it has a glossy coating. Divide between 2 warm bowls. Drizzle each with oil and lemon juice, and garnish with more cracked pepper. Serve immediately.

CACIO E PEPE

Steps:

• Put a pot of salted water on to boil. In a large bowl, combine the cheeses and black pepper; mash with just enough cold water to make a thick paste. Spread the paste evenly in the bowl.
• Once the water is boiling, add the pasta. The second before it is perfectly cooked (taste it frequently once it begins to soften), use tongs to quickly transfer it to the bowl, reserving a cup or so of the cooking water. Stir vigorously to coat the pasta, adding a teaspoon or two of olive oil and a bit of the pasta cooking water to thin the sauce if necessary. The sauce should cling to the pasta and be creamy but not watery.
• Plate and dust each dish with additional pecorino and pepper. Serve immediately.