Pasta with Lemon-Marjoram Sauce (Maccheroni con Aglio e Maggiorana)
- Makes4 to 6 servings
- Cook Time35 minutes
In Mompeo, a village about 30 miles northeast of Rome, home cook Alfonsina Cortegiani taught us how she makes maccheroni con aglio e maggiorana, a simple, delicious pairing of pasta with fresh marjoram, garlic and olive oil, finished with cheese. The no-cook, pesto-adjacent sauce came together so easily and quickly it hardly constituted a recipe. Cortegiani mixed crushed herbs and garlic with oil in a large bowl, then tossed in just-drained, steaming-hot pasta. The noodles’ heat coaxed out bold flavors and aromas. In our adaptation, we also throw in some parsley. If you cannot find marjoram, oregano is a good substitute, though its flavor is slightly more savory and assertive. A 0.5- to 0.75-ounce “clamshell” container should contain enough herb to yield ⅓ cup chopped.
Don’t wait to mix the sauce ingredients. Combine them as soon as you start heating the pasta water. This gives the garlic time to steep in the lemon juice, which helps tame its fieriness. Also, when combining the drained pasta with the sauce, be sure to add only ¼ cup reserved cooking water. As you toss with tongs, if more water is needed so the noodles are silky and well coated, add only 1 tablespoon at a time, but use restraint so the pasta isn’t watered down.
Step 1
In a large pot, boil 4 quarts water. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the cheese, parsley, marjoram, oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon each salt and black pepper.
Step 2
To the boiling water, add the pasta and 1 tablespoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain.
Step 3
To the bowl, add the pasta and ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss, adding more pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed so the noodles are lightly sauced; there should not be any liquid pooled in the bowl. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Serve sprinkled with additional cheese.
