Ina Garten Lemon Capellini with Caviar

Ina Garten lemon capellini with caviar is a silky buttery pasta dish with fresh lemon zest and a spoonful of black caviar that comes together in 20 minutes. This easy dinner party pasta fits New Year's Eve, date night and holiday dinners, and it works as a simple weeknight dinner too when you want something special.

Toss the capellini with the melted butter and lemon while the pasta is still hot and a little wet. Wait too long and the strands clump together, so the sauce never coats them evenly.

Ina Garten calls this a special appetizer or dinner for celebrations like New Year's Eve. She says it only works with the freshest, best malossol caviar you can afford. Her version skips cream and cheese entirely, so lemon, butter and white pepper let the caviar stand out.

Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (1999)

Ina Garten Lemon Capellini with Caviar

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Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

560

kcal

Thin capellini strands soak up lemony melted butter until each forkful turns silky and bright. A spoonful of caviar on top adds a salty pop against the soft, warm pasta.

Ingredients

• Olive oil, for cooking the pasta
  

• 1 pound dried capellini
  

• 1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted
  

• Zest and juice of 2 lemons
  

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
  

• 150 grams very good black caviar
  

• Zest of 1 lemon, for garnish
  

Directions

• Boil the capellini: Drizzle some olive oil into a large pot of boiling salted water, then add 1 pound dried capellini. Cook it al dente, since capellini is so thin that it goes soft very fast.
• Drain quickly: Drain the pasta fast, leaving a little water clinging to the capellini. That bit of water helps the butter coat every strand.
• Make the lemon butter: Combine 1/2 pound melted unsalted butter, the zest and juice of 2 lemons, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper. Toss the hot capellini with it right away so the sauce soaks in while the pasta is warm.
• Plate the pasta: Place one serving of pasta on each of 6 plates. Then top each with a large dollop of the 150 grams of very good black caviar.
• Garnish and serve: Grate the zest of 1 lemon over each plate for a fresh, bright finish. Serve immediately, because the pasta is best warm and the caviar tastes best fresh.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, OXO 5-quart stainless steel colander, Microplane zester grater, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Which type of caviar works best for this pasta?

Ina Garten likes ossetra for the best quality for the money. Sevruga has the smallest grains and costs the least, while beluga is the largest and the most costly.

What does malossol caviar mean?

The word malossol refers to caviar that is cured with very little salt. That matters here because the pasta is already seasoned with salt and butter.

Can I make this lemon capellini ahead of time?

I wouldn't, because this dish is ready in about 20 minutes and is meant to be served immediately. Capellini cooks so thin that it clumps and turns soft if it sits, and the caviar is best fresh.

What can I use instead of capellini?

Angel hair is the closest swap, since it is just as thin and cooks just as fast. Thicker pasta like spaghetti works too, but cook it a little longer so it stays al dente.

What is the most common mistake with this dish?

Letting the pasta cool before tossing it with the lemon butter is the big one, since the strands stick together. Using weak caviar is the other, because it is the star and the dish needs the best you can afford.