Recipe: Lemon Cream Hot Pasta with Capers

This creamy lemon pasta at Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation was part of their annual “Lemon Month” menu, typically served in April. If you were a fan of all their lemon dishes, also check out the recipe for Tangy Lemon Muffins.

The following is an official Souplantation-provided recipe originally printed by the San Diego Union-Tribune in 2009.

Makes approximately 4 servings.

Ingredients

PASTA

• 1 tablespoon table salt
• 2 1/2 cups penne pasta, uncooked
• 1 teaspoon canola oil

LEMON CREAM SAUCE

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chicken base (found near bouillon cubes at the grocery store)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons capers

Instructions

• For the pasta: In a pot, bring 6 cups water and 1 tablespoon salt to a full boil. Add pasta and cook for about 10 minutes, until al dente. Immediately drain pasta and cool in cold water. Drain water completely. Coat pasta with canola oil to prevent sticking.
• For the Lemon Cream Sauce: In a stock pot, make a roux by melting the butter and stirring in the flour. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring often to prevent burning.
• To the stock pot, add the heavy cream, lemon juice, chicken base, lemon zest, kosher salt and black pepper. Whisk or blend to dissolve the roux. Heat to 200 degrees and simmer 15 minutes, or until thickened. Stir often to prevent burning.
• Combine cooked penne with Lemon Cream Sauce and capers. Serve.

Per serving: 549 calories, 30 g fat, 10 g protein, 60 g carbohydrates, 97 mg cholesterol, 1,252 mg sodium, 1.4 g dietary fiber.