Saffron Lemon Pasta

Saffron Lemon Pasta. It’s pasta. It’s saffron. It’s a f’ing party in your got-dang mouth!

Saffron is everywhere in Persian cooking. It’s in our rice, sometimes in our team, sometimes in our desserts, and in our marinades. Basically it’s like the Iranian version of bacon. Got something delicious? Put some saffron in it and make it 10 times better.

Before we go any further, let’s discuss some saffron based facts!

• The saffron that you see is the actual crocus of the saffron flower (Basically the stuff inside the flower), it has to be picked out by hand and it requires a warm dry climate( i.e. why it’s so damn pricey).
• The orange color comes from the carotenoids in the pigmentation of the crocus. Basically, what makes carrots orange, same thing going on here.
• The heavenly smell comes from two chemicals doing a delicious tango, Safranal & Picrocrocin.
• It’s value goes as far back as 7th century BC and it’s been traded in Central Asia and the rest of the world for a millenia.
• Iran is the world’s number one saffron producer (uh duh), with over 90% of the world’s supply coming from Iran.
• The word Saffron comes from the Persian word za’farān.

I could literally give you a zillion saffron based facts, but I’ll stop here. Ya get the point. IT’S AWESOME.

One thing that always makes me die a little inside though, is when people WASTE saffron. PEOPLE! This stuff is pricier than gold! Literally! STOP throwing entire stems of saffron into your cooking! You need to stretch those babies out! This is something Persians have known for centuries, no Persian mom will allow anyone to waste her saffron. It’s usually brought from Iran and it’s not something you can just throw around.

“But saffron is so damn delicious, I want it all the time!!”

I know you do. I do too. So that’s why you make saffron water.

Saffron water is a staple of any Persian household, essentially you take a tiny bit of saffron and grind it with a mortar & pestle with a sugar cube. The end result should be a fine red powder. You then pour that powder into a clean 8oz. glass jar, and then brew it with some hot water. This keeps for a long time and it’s useful ALL the time.

Back to today’s post. This pasta dish is amazing and simple.

Simplicity is at the heart of true Italian cuisine, as Americans we have been sold a bill of goods in regards to Italian cooking which is drenched in sauce and cheese. In contrast, the Italian cuisine that I experienced was subtle, clean, and elegant. That’s what this dish is. So go make it, RIGHT NOW, and wow everyone who’s eating with you. If you’re eating by yourself and you’re wowing everyone eating with you…you may have a problem (seek help or don’t, who am I to judge!?)

Saffron Lemon Pasta

Ingredients

Water (I prefer to use less water with my pasta because I want that yummy pasta starch), probably about a quart or two, if that seems like too much or too little add more water it doesn’t make a huge difference.

2 Tbsp. Saffron Water

2 Tsp. Lemon Juice (if you prefer it to be less lemony add 1 tsp)

1 Tbsp. Butter

As much Parmesan Cheese as you want

Half a box of Pasta (standard issue grocery store kind)

Method

Step 1 – Boil water (salt it, should taste like ocean water)

Step 2- Add pasta. Cook it. (approx. 8 minutes) Try one and see if it’s cooked.

Step 3-  Strain pasta, retain about a quarter cup of the pasta water.

Step 4- In a separate non-stick pan, heat the butter,   then add the pasta (without the water) to the pan.

Step 5- As the pasta cooks in the pan slowly stir in some of the pasta water (tablespoons at a time) enough that it dissolves as it cooks.

Step 6- Add the lemon juice and saffron water, stirring into the pasta. It should turn a golden yellow.

Step 7 – Top with all the Parmesan cheese you want and then serve!