Casareccia – al Limone e Salvia
Sicilian Pasta with Lemon & Sage
One memorable evening in Abruzzo, Italy, an elderly lady introduced us to Casareccia al Limone e Salvia; it's simplicity and perfection left a lasting impression...
This speedy and simple Italian Casareccia al Limone e Salvia recipe is packed with flavor. And with just a few classic Italian ingredients such as fragrant sage, fresh garlic and lemon, you can whip this fabulous dish up in less than 20 minutes. It’s without a doubt one of the best and easiest pastas ever!
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This speedy and simple Italian Casareccia al Limone e Salvia recipe is packed with flavor. And with just a few classic Italian ingredients such as fragrant sage, fresh garlic and lemon, you can whip this fabulous dish up in less than 20 minutes. It’s without a doubt one of the best and easiest pastas ever!
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Why We Love It!
- Rustic: This simple Casareccia al Limone e Salvia dish is above all a testament to just how delicious rustic Italian cooking can be at its best.
- Quick & Easy: With just 6 simple & easy to find ingredients + salt and pepper, this pasta delivers incredible flavor in under 20 minutes without any hassle.
- Perfect For Sharing: We love how easy it is to double up on this recipe, making it ideal for pleasing a large crowd or meal prep for a busy week.
- Vegan: Casareccia al Limone e Salvia can be enjoyed and loved by everyone, being that all ingredients are vegan!
What Is Casareccia al Limone e Salvia?
Casareccia or casarecce pasta translates to home style pasta, describing a rustic and traditional preparation. It's originally from Sicily but also loved in other regions of Southern Italy. Nowadays you can find them almost everywhere, there are even organic alternatives.
Casareccia are quirky little egg-free noodles, made only with durum wheat semolina and water. This short pasta were traditionally made by rolling pasta dough around a small pin or stick. Because of the characteristic double curved 'S', curled edges and a groove down the middle, they look like little twisted scrolls, a bit Fusilli-like. For that reason they're ideal to catch sauces and ragùs, but they're also often used in soups and salads. We love to combine Casareccia simply with lemon & sage, inspired by the first time we tasted it in Abruzzo; Casareccia al Limone e Salvia!
Ingredients
Casareccia al Limone e Salvia
left to right top to bottom - check 'Recipe' below for quantity info
- Casareccia Pasta: Casareccia from De Cecco or Rustichella d’Abruzzo are both good choices.
- Sage: Choose a fresh bunch and reserve a few nice leaves for garnish.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is key in this dish.
- Lemon: We use a large organic lemon, since we need to zest the skin.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper: Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Onion: We use regular white onion.
How To Make Casareccia
Boil
Firstly, for the pasta, start by bringing a large pot of water to the boil.
We use about 4 cups (1 liter) of water per 3.5 ounces (100g) of pasta.
Zest, Squeeze & Chop
In the meantime, rinse and wash the lemon thoroughly. Pat it dry with a paper towel. Zest the skin of the lemon as fine as possible, afterwards juice the lemon and set juice and zest a side for later.
Peal and chop the onions and garlic finely but chop the sage roughly.
Cook
As soon as the water starts to boil, add about a tablespoon of kosher salt per portion. This may seem like a lot of salt but keep in mind, the pasta will not absorb it all. Add the Casareccia pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions.
Sauté
Straightaway, start by sautéing the onions for about 3 minutes or until they turn translucent.
At that moment, add in the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add The Rest
Then, stir in the chopped sage, lemon zest and lemon juice. And pour in a tablespoon pasta water per portion to the mixture. Bring it to a simmer and then turn off the heat.
Season
Season the sauce with salt and pepper but go easy on the salt since the pasta water is salty.
Drain
Drain the Casareccia in a colander.
Toss!
Finally, add the pasta to the rest and toss everything together.
Garnish with sage leaves and a pinch of extra black pepper. Serve your Casareccia al Limone e Salvia straightaway!
Serving Tips & Pairings
- Grated cheese: Top the pasta with some grated or flaked hard cheese, such as Parmesan or Grana Padano.
- Ham: Add a few pieces of grilled, dried ham and finish with flat-leaf parsley.
- Meat: Serve it alongside grilled veal chops or chicken for a real Tuscan-style dinner!
- Salad: Make a cold pasta salad with leftover Casareccia, toss it with tomatoes and add a dollop of ricotta.
- Gratin: Spread the pasta mix evenly in an oven dish. Sprinkle generously with grated Parmesan or another hard cheese and grill in the oven for a few minutes until crusty!
- Drinks:
- This is delicious with a classic Limonata.
- Pair it with a crisp Italian white wine, like Pinot Grigio.
Substitutions & Variations
- Herb Variations: Although we really enjoy the specific flavor of sage, you can use other herbs like thyme, basil or parsley. Each will bring a unique flavor profile to the dish.
- Vegetables: Swap onion for shallots or leek for a milder onion flavor. You can also add spinach or zucchini slices for extra veggies.
- Spice: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a hint of heat.
- Garlic: If you don't have fresh garlic at hand, you can use garlic powder instead.
FAQs
The way to pronounce it in English is ‘cah-sah-retch-ah’, with the stress on ‘retch’.
Certainly! Over the years, the popularity of Casareccia has even grown, especially due to the increasing appreciation for authentic and regional Italian cuisine.
Recipe
Casareccia – al Limone e Salvia
Ingredients
- 500 g Casareccia - pasta
- 10 g sage - only leaves, fresh and firm
- 2 pieces garlic cloves - large
- 1 piece lemon - organic lemon
- 4 tbsp olive oil - extra virgin
- 2 pieces onion - about 7oz/ 200gr
- 1 pinch salt - kosher
- 1 pinch black pepper - freshly ground
Instructions
- Firstly, for the pasta, start by bringing a large pot of water to the boil.
- In the meantime, rinse and wash the lemon thoroughly. Then pat it dry with a paper towel. Zest the skin of the lemon as fine as possible, afterwards juice the lemon and set juice and zest a side for later. Peal and chop the onions and garlic finely but chop the sage roughly.
- As soon as the water starts to boil, add about a tablespoon of kosher salt per portion. This may seem like a lot of salt but keep in mind, the pasta will not absorb it all. Add the Casareccia pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add a generous splash of olive oil.Straightaway, start by sautéing the onions for about 3 minutes or until they turn translucent. Add in the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Then, stir in the chopped sage, lemon zest and lemon juice. And pour in a tablespoon pasta water per portion to the mixture. Bring it to a simmer and then turn off the heat.
- Season the sauce with salt and pepper but go easy on the salt since the pasta water is salty.
- Drain the Casareccia in a colander.
- Finally, add the pasta to the rest and toss everything together. Garnish with sage leaves and a pinch of extra black pepper. Serve your Casareccia al Limone e Salvia straightaway!
Notes
- Casareccia Pasta: Casareccia from De Cecco or Rustichella d’Abruzzo are both good choices.
- Sage: Choose a fresh bunch and reserve a few nice leaves for garnish.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is key in this dish.
- Lemon: We use a large organic lemon, since we need to zest the skin.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper: Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Onion: We use regular white onion.
Nutrition
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