Lemony Egg Yolk Sauce

For the Love of Pasta 

Are you home in the quarantine and hankering for pasta? Don’t want to socially distance from carbs? I don’t, and I’ve been watching a lot of old Nigella Bites episodes on YouTube - a suggestion from my friend Channon who introduced me to the domestic goddess many moons ago. I love watching Nigella walk to her fridge in the dark, sneak a bite of whatever it is she cooked on that episode and go off to bed. She has many epic pasta recipes and her egg yolk sauce is a perfect weeknight wonder that I’ve adapted to work for one and it only takes 4 very basic ingredients: pasta, egg yolk, lemon, cheese!

So when you refresh your groceries or place a new order that clearly includes pasta (don’t forget to clean and wipe your bags, and wash your hands and please, moisturize people - is anyone else dried out??), why not support Rana pasta? You can find it in the refrigerator section of the grocery store because it’s all natural, made with no preservatives and has a shelf life. It’s the closest you’ll get to fresh pasta without the labor of making it yourself and with the convenience of going to a grocery store and not an actual pasta shop or some version of your neighborhood’s Eataly.

Founder Giovanni Rana and son Gian Luca (CEO) are supporting their workers during the coronavirus crisis with pay raises, babysitting tickets and health insurance for all employees across their 5 plants in Italy - even those employees in a WFH scenario. Thanks, Rana Pasta, for keeping those across Italy and the US pumped with pasta, peace and hope. Source: Times of Malta

Lemony Egg Yolk Sauce
*adapted from Nigella Lawson to serve 1 and can be doubled, tripled, etc for a family!

1 serving of Rana pasta (cooks in 2 minutes!)
*one bag has 2.5 servings, but I separate the bag into 4 servings and either load with veggies or when I make a simple sauce like this - I eat a lovely side salad or protein!
1 egg yolk
Zest of 1 lemon + more for topping the pasta
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Salt
Grated pecorino romano
*or grated cheese of choice

Boil pasta water with a drizzle of olive oil, salting once the water comes to a boil because salting too soon actually slows the boiling process. While the pasta water boils, in a small bowl beat an egg yolk with zest, lemon juice, a tablespoon or two of pecorino, a pinch of salt and put aside. When you drain the pasta reserve some pasta water and place the pasta (drained) back in the hot pot, slowly tossing with the lemony egg yolk sauce and adding pasta water little by little so as to thin out the sauce and make the lemon less concentrated. Toss with cheese, serve and top with additional lemon zest. Mangia!