Authentic Pasta al Salmone With Lemon Tagliolini

In Italian cooking, true elegance lies in restraint. When you start with exceptional ingredients, you do not need a long, complicated recipe to create something extraordinary — you simply need to let the natural flavours shine.

Pasta al Salmone emerged as an iconic Italian classic during the 1980s, beloved for its indulgent combination of tender salmon, silky cream, and fresh herbs. Our version pairs tender salmon with our signature Tagliolini al Limone from the Carluccio's very own online deli. Crafted by infusing durum wheat semolina and egg pasta with natural lemon essential oil, these fine pasta ribbons bring a bright, zesty fragrance that cuts cleanly through the rich salmon sauce.

Why Our Lemon Tagliolini Makes All the Difference

Standard pasta relies entirely on fresh citrus juice added at the end of cooking to bring acidity to a rich dish. While a squeeze of fresh lemon is always welcome, using pasta infused with natural lemon oil during the dough-making process subtly permeates every bite.

Because tagliolini is a delicate, slender ribbon, it cooks in just 2 to 3 minutes. Its fine strands absorb the sauce quickly, creating a cohesive dish where the fish, citrus notes, and silky pasta seamlessly come together.

The Recipe: Pasta al Salmone with Lemon Tagliolini

• Prep time: 10 minutes

• Cook time: 10 minutes

• Servings: 2 hungry pasta lovers

Ingredients

• 250g Carluccio’s Tagliolini al Limone

• 150g quality smoked salmon (cut into bite-sized ribbons) or 200g fresh salmon fillet (skin removed, cut into small cubes)

• 20g unsalted butter

• 1 tbsp Carluccio's Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 1 small shallot (finely diced)

• 100ml double cream (or crème fraîche for a lighter tang)

• 50ml dry white wine (such as a crisp Pinot Grigio)

• Fresh flat-leaf parsley or fresh dill (finely chopped)

• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Method

1. Bring the water to a rolling boil: 10 min total.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it generously. Fine egg tagliolini cooks very quickly, so have your sauce nearly finished before dropping the pasta.

2. Gently sweat the shallot: 3 min.

Heat the butter and extra virgin olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Add the finely diced shallot and cook gently for 2 to 3 minutes until soft and translucent, ensuring it does not brown.

3. Build the sauce: 4 min.

If using fresh cubed salmon, add it to the pan now and cook for 2 minutes until opaque. Pour in the white wine and allow it to bubble and reduce by half. Stir in the double cream, turn the heat down low, and let it simmer gently for 1 to 2 minutes until warmed through. If using smoked salmon, gently fold it into the cream sauce at the very end, off the heat so it stays tender.

4. Cook the Tagliolini al Limone: 2-3 min.

Drop the Tagliolini al Limone into the boiling water. Cook for just 2 to 3 minutes until perfectly al dente. Reserve a small cup of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining.

5. Combine and emulsify: 1 min.

Transfer the drained tagliolini directly into the frying pan with the salmon sauce. Toss gently over low heat for 60 seconds, adding 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water to create a glossy emulsion that coats every strand.

6. Garnish and serve:

Remove from heat, season with freshly cracked black pepper, and sprinkle over the chopped fresh herbs. Serve immediately on warmed plates with an extra drizzle of cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil if desired.

Chef's Tip: Avoid adding grated Parmigiano-Reggiano to this dish! Traditional Italian culinary etiquette generally avoids combining hard cheese with delicate seafood, as the strong, salty cheese can easily overpower the subtle flavours of the salmon and lemon.