Tahini & Lemon Pasta
Yield: 3-4 servings
Time: 5 min prep, 15 min cook
When you think of tahini you probably imagine hummus, salad dressings, or even baked goods, but it is also a great base for pasta sauce! I came up with this recipe on the fly, trying to use up some aging produce. On hand I had half a leek, one lemon, and some roasted garlic. Wanting to stay away from tomato based sauces, I went shopping in my own pantry and came across half a jar of tahini. An idea was born! Lemon and sesame is a lovely combination- why not try it in pasta! The richness of the tahini is balanced by the tart lemon which are both rounded out by subtle and umami-packed roasted garlic. Delish!
Ingredients:
1 lb. rigatoni (or short pasta)
Leek
Olive oil
Tahini
Large lemon
Roasted garlic
1 egg yolk
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Reserved pasta water
Parsley
Parmesan cheese
Special Equipment:
Blender or food processor
Directions
Step One:
Zest 1 lemon, set zest aside.
In a blender, combine lemon juice, egg yolk, a few tablespoons of roasted garlic, and about 1/2-3/4 cup of tahini. Season to taste with kosher salt and fresh black pepper. Mixture will be very thick. Leave in blender and set aside.
Don’t worry about the raw egg in this mixture- the heat from the pasta will cook it later on!
Step Two:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season heavily with kosher salt. Cook pasta 10-12 mins or just before al dente.
While pasta is cooking, roughly chop half a leek. Sauté over medium heat in a large skillet with olive oil and lightly season with salt, about 3 mins.
Step Three:
Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Add pasta to skillet with leek and drizzle with a few tablespoons of olive oil, reduce heat to low.
With the blade running, slowly add reserved pasta water to tahini mixture so that it is thinned but not runny. Pour mixture over pasta and combine thoroughly. Add 3/4 of the lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly! If pasta absorbs too much sauce, add more pasta water until at desired consistency.
Step Four:
Serve immediately. Top with remaining lemon zest, chopped parsley, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Why Roasted Garlic?
Roasted garlic is one of my absolute favorite flavors! Roasting takes all of the natural sugars and slowly caramelizes them making the garlic slightly sweet. That flavor in combination with lemon and leek is the perfect pairing for nutty, rich tahini. To make roasted garlic, slice 1 head in half horizontally. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Roast at 350° for about 1 hour or until garlic is soft and caramelized.
If you don’t have the time to roast garlic for this recipe, you can substitute with sautéed garlic. However, the flavor will be much more potent as you will not get the same sweetness as roasted garlic. Definitely do not use raw garlic as it will overpower the entire dish!
