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This romantic dish will transport you straight to the shores of Sicily.
This Simple Lemon and Pistachio Pasta Is Perfect for Date Night
This romantic dish will transport you straight to the shores of Sicily.
Welcome to Put on a Spread, a recipe series that takes you inside the kitchens – and dining rooms – of some of our favourite home cooks. For this instalment, grazing table enthusiast and founder of Stories to Gather, Lia Townsend, shares her recipe for lemon and pistachio pasta.
The best dishes are often the ones where you only need a few ingredients to create something delicious. Lia Townsend's effortless lemon and pistachio pasta is one such recipe.
With just eight ingredients and less than 30 minutes of your time, you'll have a delicious dish to 'wow' your loved one on your next date night at home or this Valentine's Day – because what says 'I love you' more perfectly than a tasty home-cooked meal?
Lemon, parsley, and chives make this dish zesty and refreshing, while the pistachios add a nutty flavour and crunch alongside the silky pasta. Lia has opted for linguini, but you can use any pasta shape you like! You can also top the pasta with Parmesan and pitted green olives for that extra bit of flavour.
Let this romantic dish transport you straight to the shores of Sicily.
Ingredients
- 500g pasta of choice
- 2 lemons
- 125g pistachio kernels chopped
- 150ml extra virgin olive oil
- ½ bunch parsley, stems removed and leaves finely chopped (approx 20g)
- 1 bunch chives, finely chopped (approx 15g)
- Salt
- Pepper
Optional toppings:
- Parmesan cheese
- Pitted green olives
Method
- Cook the pasta in a pot of salted water according to pack instructions until al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil over low-medium heat in a large pan.
- Add the zest and juice of 1 lemon, pistachios, and salt and pepper to taste and let it simmer.
- Once the pasta is cooked, before draining the pasta, scoop out one cup of the pasta liquid and reserve.
- Placed the drained pasta into the lemon oil fry pan.
- Stir through parsley, chives, and a little of the reserved pasta liquid (I start with ½ cup and add as needed) so the pasta is coated.
- Finish the zest of your one remaining lemon, a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Top with Parmesan and/or olives if so desired.
For more from Lia, follow her at @stories_to_gather
Photography by Iris and Me.
