50 Women Game Changers in Food - Week 26

Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers

Picture courtesy of The Telegraph

They opened the critically acclaimed restaurant The River Cafe in 1987. They introduced Londoners to simple italian dishes made with the finest ingredients.  Throughout the years several successful chefs trained in their kitchen including Jamie Oliver.  The River Cafe Cook Book, was published in 1995, followed by several others and consistently demonstrating throughout their recipes that with just a few good quality ingredients you can make an amazing meal.  Sadly, Rose Gray died of cancer last year at the age 71.

I had intended to make their Expesso and Hazelnut Cake with Chocolate, which you can probably find on Sue's blog (see below), but found that I had all the ingredients for this recipe on hand.  I had made something similar to this recently, however I must confess this recipe was much better and so easy to make.  Serve with lightly toasted italian bread and a nice red and your done. Salute!

SPAGHETTI AL LIMONE

SERVES 4 (NOT LARGE SERVINGS)

9 ounces, spaghetti
juice of 3 to 4 lemons, the freshest possible
optional: the zest (the grated, colored part of the peel) of some of those lemons
2/3 cup, olive oil
1 1/4 cups, Parmesan cheese - freshly grated (Parmigiano-Reggiano if possible)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 handfuls fresh basil leaves - chopped

In a generous amount of boiling salted water, cook the spaghetti just until al dente, then drain it thoroughly and return it to the hot (empty) pan.

Meanwhile, beat the lemon juice with the olive oil, then stir in the Parmesan until the mixture is thick and creamy. The Parmesan will melt into the mixture. Season, and add more lemon juice to taste.

Add the sauce to the hot, drained spaghetti and toss gently or shake the pan so that each strand is coated with the cheese. Finally, stir in the chopped basil and, ideally, some grated lemon zest.


For more great recipes by Ruth and Rose please visit the rest of our group:


Val - More Than Burnt Toast
Joanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed
Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney
Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets 
Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite
Kathleen -Bake Away with Me
Viola - The Life is Good Kitchen
Sue - The View from Great Island
Barbara - Movable Feasts
Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Amy - Beloved Green
Jeanette - Healthy Living 
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda
Linda A - There and Back Again
Martha - Lines from Linderhof
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits
Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen
Annie - Most Lovely Things
Claudia - Journey of an Italian Cook