I can't bring myself to make jam or real Fettuccine Alfredo... too much sugar, too much fat. I don't have an answer for the jam but this Fettuccine Lemoncello is fabulous and guilt-free!
I have a penchant for Lemoncello! It makes me think of spring - and Italy- and my girlfriends Shelley and Jean! You know the saying - what happens in Menaggio stays in Menaggio!
If you have made my Lemoncello Chicken you just may have a bit of Lemoncello leftover that you can use in this quick and easy pasta dish. The creaminess of the dish comes from sour cream. I got the idea originally from a South Beach diet sauce.
If you don't have Lemoncello on hand, did you know you can make some in just 4 days? Check out this simple way to make Homemade Lemoncello!
So Fettuccine Lemoncello seemed like a logical extension- lemon, cream and pasta are a marriage made in heaven!
Since sour cream comes in fat-free, 1%, 5% and 14% you can choose what level of milk fat you want to include. If you are feeling really decadent you could even ratchet up to Mascarpone!
This may be my way of trying to hurry up spring since I gravitated toward asparagus as well! Asparagus is available for much of the year now but as always, it would be especially nice in the spring when our fresh crop is available.
Speaking of asparagus... I have finally found a way to prepare asparagus that my husband actually likes! I have other friends who despise asparagus as well so not sure if this will work for everyone but for my husband - all you have to do is add bacon, sausage or prosciutto and he's in. For this recipe you wrap the asparagus spear in proscuitto and crisp them up in the oven. They almost qualify as candy! And they do well with the lemon sauce in the fettuccine!
The lemoncello, fresh lemon and lemon zest juice add layers of lemon-y goodness with very little effort! You will need 2 lemons at least for this dish. It will depend on the size and the juiciness of your lemons. You will zest one lemon and squeeze it to get the fresh lemon juice. The other you will quarter and serve with the pasta so each person can get a fresh hit of lemon to brighten the dish. So - if you don't get ¼ cup of juice from one lemon you will need a 3rd lemon.
You can prepare the sauce and asparagus while the water is coming to a boil for the pasta so you can get this on the table in 20-30 minutes!
Reader Tip: Add some shrimp to the sauce and you have an even more robust meal!
Wine Pairings for Fettuccine Lemoncello
I would honour the Italian roots of this dish. Anything with crisp, lemon-y descriptors would work here. Pinot Grigio is an obvious option - more adventurous palates may look for a Lugana, Grillo or Friuli.
Fettuccine Lemoncello
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Save Print Pin FacebookIngredients
- 1 pkg fettuccine or linguine (375 grams)
- 12 spears asparagus
- 6 slices prosciutto (halved lengthwise)
Sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup sour cream low fat is fine
- 4 oz asiago cheese grated
- ¼ cup lemoncello
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice Zest the lemon before juicing
Topping
- 4 Tbsps Italian parsley minced
- zest of 1 lemon
- 4 Tbsps panko bread crumbs toasted
- sprinkle of sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
- Put the pasta water on the stove top and bring to a boil. Cook according to manufacturer's instructions.
- While water is coming to a boil, spray an oven proof dish big enough to hold the asparagus spears in a single layer.
- Wash the asparagus thoroughly. Bend the bottom of the stem of the asparagus- it will snap off where the stalk goes from tender to woody. Discard the tough bottoms.
- Wrap each asparagus spear in a long thin strips of prosciutto leaving a ½ inch or so of the tip exposed.
- Position spears in the oven proof pan in a single layer and roast about 15 minutes.
- Add the panko crumbs in an oven proof dish to the oven at the same time. Remove panko crumbs as soon as they are brown. Check them after 4 or 5 minutes. Set crumbs aside when they are browned.
- Zest and juice the fresh lemon(s).
- Combine the lemon zest and the minced parsley and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a sacuepan and sauté garlic one minute over medium/low heat. Add the sour cream and asiago and heat til cheese is melted. Add the lemoncello and fresh lemon juice and heat through. Keep warm til ready to use.
- When aspargus is done cut each spear into 1 ½" chunks. Reserve the tips to garnish the dish.
- When pasta is cooked, drain it and then toss it with the warm sauce and asparagus chunks.
- Divide evenly among 4 dishes. Sprinkle lemon zest and parsely mix over each dish. Garnish each dish with panko crumbs and 3 asparagus tips and a pinch of sea salt. Serve with a fresh lemon wedge.
Charlotte
I like to add to this recipe shrimp or scallops - one dish meal.