Creamy, Lemony Pasta

Many recipes for pasta (even some from this very site) now note that large pots of boiling salted water are not needed to cook pasta. In fact, many suggest using much less water results in pasta water that is starchier and better for use in sauces and coatings. And, it just might collectively result in less water usage overall, something our aquifers and reservoirs would benefit from.

I have been for several years now using much less water than what is considered usual and customary. My pasta cooks perfectly, and in cases where you need to reserve some of the cooking water for the recipe, it's much richer. Glad you pointed this out.

Made this exactly as written, terrific! Second time I added leftover salmon and some sautéed broccoli, still terrific! Thank you

I often cook pasta in pans that are smaller than recommended because I live in an apartment and getting out my biggest pan is a project. The smaller pan works best if you keep an eye on the pasta and stir it often. Separate thought: if adding the yogurt at the end, will it make the dish cold? If not, and you heat it, will it ruin the yogurt? I was under the impression that you can't heat yogurt and maintain its thickness or consistency. Please help.

This note is for Pat - about the clumping parmesan. I encountered this problem the first time I tries to make Alfredo - very frustrating, indeed! Then I discovered that all I needed was more heat. Bring the heat back up under your pot while stirring continuously. Adding hot pasta water a little at a time while you're stirring helps prevent scorching. Try it again. I've been making Alfredo like this now for about 40 years & it's worth it!

I put the pasta in a medium or small pot, add water to about one inch to cover, then cover and turn on the stove. Stir occasionally, add salt when it boils, stir once more and cook until it's at the desired texture. Less water, less energy and the pasta water is much starchier.

A nice, light recipe. Instead of shallots I use chopped tomato, peas, and finely chopped red onion. Serve with fish sticks and some sliced pear and viola, bachelor gourmet.

There’s a similar recipe on the site for lemon ricotta pasta which is quite good! Just make sure to use full fat ricotta.

Because I am lactose intolerant, I have made pasta this way for many years. I usually add whatever vegetable looks good from the green market. The lemon is a nice addition,

I never use the recommended amount of water and usually cut by half or more. I stopped using the recommended amount when I first started cooking as it seemed silly to me. I wasn't a good cook at all when I started, and that was nearly 50 years ago. So I am impressed with my young self to see your comments about water conservation and starchier water for better sauces! :-)

I tried the method of cooking pasta in a small amount of water recommended by Harold McGee. It resulted in pasta with such an off texture that my husband refused to eat it. However, I don't eat meat which is the best dietary choice one can make to reduce water use.

I’ve found that mixing the parm and yogurt together before adding helps with the non-clumping. Same when making carbonara. I mix the parm in with the eggs yolk before incorporating. It coats the grated cheese in a fat so as it melts it doesn’t clump.

i love how lemony this is— perfect for when you’re at the bottom of the barrel with your groceries. i always have these ingredients laying around

Yes, that's it. Line the strainer or sieve with a single layer of paper towel and place it over a bowl or pot to catch the whey as it drains. Using the paper towel, you can retain all the milk solids, and the paper towel peels away cleanly after you dump the yogurt into your storage container. I find that the texture is improved if you whisk the finished yogurt. The thickness varies, depending on whether you drain for 30 minutes, 3 hours, overnight - pick the consistency you prefer.

So...the parmesan did not turn silky/creamy, but clumped up into inedible things. In spite of 'stirring vigorously'. Never again.