Sweet Potato Noodles with Lemon “Cream” sauce
Serves: 4
The Amalfi Coast is known for their delicious lemons, where you’ll find the famous Pasta Limone dish on menus. But the best recipe for this iconic dish is from Hotel Santa Caterina. Oh how I remember that romantic trip with my Ed. We both ordered this pasta and couldn’t even talk, it was so good and probably the best dish either of us had ever tasted. The Chef was kind enough to give me the recipe. I tried to recreate it at home, time and time again, but sadly, I could not duplicate it. The Amalfi Coast lemons, cream and tagliolini all taste different than what we can get in the U.S. Now that I’m plant-based, I decided to make a version of this delicious recipe to bring back that wonderful taste memory. Of course it won’t taste the same, but I got pretty close! It’s lemony and creamy and comes with all the healthy benefits that vegetables provide! We use sweet potato vermicelli, cauliflower “cream” and vegan “parm.” A plus: it’s oil free and very low in sodium!
The Amalfi Coast is known for their delicious lemons, where you’ll find the famous Pasta Limone dish on menus. But the best recipe for this iconic dish is from Hotel Santa Caterina. Oh how I remember that romantic trip with my Ed. We both ordered this pasta and couldn’t even talk, it was so good and probably the best dish either of us had ever tasted. The Chef was kind enough to give me the recipe. I tried to recreate it at home, time and time again, but sadly, I could not duplicate it. The Amalfi Coast lemons, cream and tagliolini all taste different than what we can get in the U.S. Now that I’m plant-based, I decided to make a version of this delicious recipe to bring back that wonderful taste memory. Of course it won’t taste the same, but I got pretty close! It’s lemony and creamy and comes with all the healthy benefits that vegetables provide! We use sweet potato vermicelli, cauliflower “cream” and vegan “parm.” A plus: it’s oil free and very low in sodium!
Ingredients
- 1 small head, cauliflower, stem removed, separated into small florets
- 3 tablespoon raw tahini
- 5 tablespoons filtered water
- 1 tablespoon packed grated lemon peel from one lemon
- 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 2 lemons
- ½ cup vegan parmesan (recipe below)
- 2/3 package Sweet Potato Vermicelli (4 of the 6 bundles of noodles)
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
- ¾ cup raw cashews
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules
Directions
Place the florets in a steamer over 1 cup of water and steam until the cauliflower is completely soft. Turn off heat and cover and let sit for a few minutes. Place steamed cauliflower in the bowl of a food processor and blend. Add ½ cup of the steaming liquid, and continue to process. Add more water if the “cream” is too thick. If you add too much water, no problem, just put the cream in a dry pot over medium heat and cook until it thickens again. The “cream” should be light and fluffy.
Place all of the ingredients in a small food processor and process until finely chopped.
- Pour 3 tablespoons tahini and 5 tablespoons of water in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add lemon zest and lemon juice and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally..
- Whisk in ½ -¾ cup cauliflower “cream” and ½ cup vegan “parmesan” cheese. Bring to a simmer, adding more “cream” if needed for a creamier sauce. Remove from heat. Add more water if noodles become too dry.
- Cook the noodles according to the directions on the package. Drain the noodles, reserving some of the cooking water. Add the drained noodles to the sauce in the pan. Stir to thoroughly coat the noodles with the sauce, adding some of the cooking water, if needed.
- Toss in the parsley and finish with black pepper,
- Serve immediately. The longer the sauced pasta sits, the more the noodles absorb the sauce. If this happens, just drizzle some more of the sauce on top, just before serving.
Cook's Notes: - The sauce can be made in advance, and rewarmed in a wide saucepan. Just add more water and leftover cauliflower whipped cream, if needed.
- The vegan “parmesan cheese” can be made in advance and the leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
