Linguine with Citrus Zest
(Linguine con Scorza di Agrumi)
Ingredients:
1 large lemon
1 orange
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half-and-half
2 tbsp cognac
Leaves from 4 sprigs mint
10 oz fresh linguine pasta
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
Gently scrub lemon and orange under warm running water to remove any waxy
residue.
Pat dry with paper towels.
Finely grate zest from lemon and orange and set aside.
Put cream, half-and-half, and lemon and orange zests into a large skillet and
boil over medium heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until reduced by
one-quarter, about 10 minutes.
Add cognac and mint and cook until alcohol evaporates, about 2-3 minutes.
Season sauce to taste with salt.
Add 2 generous pinches salt to boiling water.
Add fresh pasta and cook, stirring often, until just tender, about 2-3 minutes.
Using a pair of kitchen tongs, transfer pasta to skillet with sauce.
Add Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring
pasta constantly, until sauce thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Serves 4.