Recipe of the week: Pâtes au citron (pasta with lemon) of Menton

Originally from northern India, citrus fruits came to Sicily around the year 1000 and then spread across the Mediterranean, North Africa and southern Spain.

History: Why Lemons in Menton: In the seventeenth century, Count Honoré II Grimaldi of Monaco acquired from Lérins monks the Plaine Carnolès to make a French garden with citrus fruits, taking advantage of a special microclimate, thanks to a mountain barrier. This is the current garden of Carnolès Palace, which houses a superb collection of citrus plants, more than a hundred varieties that make their fruits in winter: their time of full maturity.

How is the lemon of Menton: It is a 4 seasons lemon: "A lemon is always ready to be eaten" with flowers, green fruits and ripe fruits on the trees. Light yellow, rather elliptical, rich in acids and essences ... Its peculiarity: It is a little sweeter and less acidic than other lemons. The tree is shaped differently than others because it is cut gradually with the harvest, in contrast to the orange and mandarin trees, which are cropped once in March at the end of production. It is the most sensitive citrus fruit that fears the most cold. But only takes the color when weather is cool enough (it stays green in the tropics, even when it's ripe!).

[Credits Pixabay]

Ingredients: (for 4 people)

• 400 g fresh tagliatelle (or other pasta, eg Penne) 
• 2 untreated lemons 
• 1 small glass of dry white wine
• 50 g butter 
• 40 g cream 
• 60 g Parmesan 
• Pepper salt 

Preparation:

1. Wash the lemon and rub the peel with a fine grater. 
2. Fry in a little butter over low heat. 
3. When the butter begins to color, add the white wine and reduce for 5 minutes. 
4. Add cream, salt and pepper. 
5. Pour over the meanwhile "al dente" boiled noodles and sprinkle with parmesan.