Tagliolini al Limone (Lemon and Parmesan Tagliolini)
Thin ribbons of fresh pasta in a bright, buttery lemon and parmesan sauce that comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta.
Made with Fresh egg pasta dough. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr 15
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.88 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Make the fresh egg pasta dough (see the base recipe), rest it and roll it to about 1 mm. Cut into thin ribbons about 2 mm wide, dust with semolina and nest loosely.
- 2
Bring a very large pan of well salted water to the boil.
- 3
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a wide frying pan over a low heat. Add the lemon zest and black pepper and warm gently for 1 minute. Take off the heat.
- 4
Cook the tagliolini in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, until just tender. Scoop out a mug of the pasta water before draining.
1 min 30 s - 5
Add the pasta to the pan with the butter and half of the cheese. Add the juice of one lemon and 4 tablespoons of the pasta water. Toss over a low heat for 1 minute, until the sauce is glossy and clings to the pasta.
- 6
Add more pasta water a splash at a time if it is tight, and more lemon juice or salt to taste. Scatter with basil and the rest of the cheese and serve straight away.
Tips
- Keep the heat low once the cheese goes in. Cheese over high heat turns grainy and clumps rather than melting into a sauce.
- Use unwaxed lemons if you can, since you are eating the zest. Scrub waxed ones in hot water first.
- Fresh tagliolini cooks in under 2 minutes, so have the sauce ready before the pasta goes in.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten straight away. Keep any leftovers in the fridge for up to 1 day and reheat gently with a splash of water until steaming hot. This dish does not freeze well.
Questions
Can I make this dairy free?
Yes. Use olive oil in place of the butter and a dairy free hard cheese or a spoonful of nutritional yeast for savouriness. The sauce will be lighter and less glossy.
Why did my sauce split?
Usually the heat was too high or there was too little pasta water. Take the pan off the heat, add a splash of water and toss hard until the sauce comes back together.
What can I add to make it more of a meal?
Peas, griddled asparagus, prawns or flaked hot smoked salmon all work. Stir them in with the pasta so they warm through without overcooking.
More made with fresh egg pasta dough
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.