When on the Italian island of Procida, life gives you lemons. Not the sour kind that make you pucker, but the big fat ones with a lot of pith.

You could call them “pithy,” worth their bite. They are called Limoni di Pane—bread lemons. You can make a salad out of them they are so substantial. But I have taken a fancy to making a quick summer lemon pesto.

It’s fresh, not too astringent and goes incredibly well with pasta, potatoes and especially risotto.

Since it’s mostly lemon peel, chopped finely and mixed with pine nuts, olive oil, salt and pepper, you could also add it like a dressing on just about anything. Fabulous on fish!

It will transport you to the islands in the Mediterranean and bring up visions of blue sky, colorful beach umbrellas, cool drinks and a sparkling sea.

Ingredients:

4 lemons

3 cloves of garlic, crushed or chopped finely

1/4 cup of pine nuts, chopped finely

1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Pasta

Parmigiano

Juice of two lemons

Parsley

Preparation:

Peel, slice and chop lemon rinds from four lemons very fine. Put in a bowl.

Add cloves of garlic and pine nuts.

Add the extra virgin olive oil. Add juice of two lemons. Stir. Set aside to marinate.

Cook pasta, drain and add to a serving bowl. Mix with the lemon pesto.

Add chopped parsley and grated Parmigiano to taste. Sprinkle with a pinch of red pepper flakes.

And there you have an exquisite summer pasta.

Join Peggy for her next sailing and savoring adventure in June 2017.

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Author: Peggy Markel  

Image: Author’s own

Editors: Katarina Tavčar; Yoli Ramazzina