Ingredients
LEMONS (PEEL AND JUICE)
2
PINE NUTS
40 gr
GRATED PARMESAN
50 gr
PARSLEY
1 tuft
BASIL
to taste
GARLIC
1/2 clove
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
to taste
PEPPER
to taste
SALT
to taste
FOR THE PASTA
SPAGHETTI
80 gr
How to prepare lemon pesto
Step 1
To prepare the pesto, start by squeezing the juice of the two lemons into the jug of a blender 1.

Step 2
Also grate the zest of the two lemons 2.

Step 3
Pour the pine nuts into the jug 3: for a more intense flavor, you can first toast them for 3-4 minutes in a pan or in a hot oven.

Step 4
Coat with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil 4.

Step 5
Add the grated parmesan 5, then season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Step 6
Finally, complete with the basil 6 and parsley.

Step 7
Blend for about 1 minute, until you obtain a cream with a smooth and homogeneous consistency 7.

Step 8
Once ready, transfer the lemon pesto to a sterilized jar 8.

Step 9
Your lemon pesto is ready 9: you can store it in the fridge or use it immediately.

Step 10
If you want to prepare a first course, pour a few spoonfuls of lemon pesto into a pan 10 and, in the meantime, boil the pasta in boiling salted water according to the time indicated on the package.

Step 11
Drain the pasta slightly al dente directly into the pan with the pesto 11 and mix it together with a ladle of pasta cooking water.

Step 12
The lemon pesto pasta is ready: garnish it with a basil leaf and enjoy it immediately, enveloping and fragrant 12.

Tips
For a recipe faithful to the original, you can make the pesto with Procida lemons, characterized by their intense aroma and pleasantly acidic juice. They are also called “bread lemons” because of the albedo, or the white part between the pulp and the peel, particularly thick and spongy, good to eat. Alternatively, you can opt for any other variety of lemon, as long as it is organic and not chemically treated.

We decided to use fresh basil leaves and a sprig of parsley but, if you wish, you can easily omit the latter from the preparation; furthermore, it is possible to replace the pine nuts with toasted almonds and, for a more savory and decisive touch, and use pecorino instead of parmesan.

Lemon pesto can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight glass jar and covered with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, for a maximum of 2 days.