Roasted Meyer Lemon & Brown Butter Pasta

Put your stock pile of Meyer lemons to use and whip up this bright and sunny meatless pasta dinner for friends and family. Sprinkle this creamy, brown butter dressed pasta with toasted pine nuts, basil or Meyer lemon zest. Bright and vibrant, this dish will be the life of the party!

While the roasted Meyer lemon, broccoli, and cauliflower in this dish is delicious when tossed with gluten free pasta, it's also easy to serve tossed with brown butter sauce on their own as a decadent side dish.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Meg Krulk @thismessisours.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 3 cups bite-sized broccoli florets
• 3 cups bite-sized cauliflower florets
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 2 Meyer lemons, sliced into thin wheels, seeds removed
• 1 (12-ounce) box gluten free elbow pasta
• 2 Tbsp. salted butter
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp. crushed Aleppo pepper
• 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
• coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tsp. Meyer lemon zest
• 1/4 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 2-3 Tbsp. basil, chiffonade

Instructions:

1. Place a baking sheet in the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F (leave the pan in the oven as it heats).
2. In a large bowl, toss together the broccoli and cauliflower florets with 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the vegetables in a single layer on the hot baking sheet; arrange the Meyer lemon slices around the vegetables. Bake at 450°F until the vegetables are starting to brown and are crisp-tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, fill a Dutch oven with water and salt the water liberally; bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Drain.
4. Melt the butter in the same Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook until browned and very fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, garlic, and Aleppo pepper; cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and add the heavy cream, stir to incorporate. Add the pasta, salt, and black pepper. Gently stir in the roasted vegetables and lemon wheels. Stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid to reach desired consistency. Top with zest, cheese, toasted pine nuts, basil leaves, and a sprinkling of Aleppo pepper if desired.

Please visit J. Lohr’s Recipes page for additional recipes and pairing ideas.