Inspired by all things Sicilian, I have teamed up with Sabrina Damiani @damianifinedining to bring you this absolutely divine Sicilian linguine with lemon, courgette flowers and crispy breadcrumbs.

Sabrina, who hails from the sun-soaked shores of Sicily, shared this treasured family recipe that captures the essence of her homeland – bright lemons, delicate courgette flowers, and that signature Sicilian muddica croccante (crispy breadcrumb topping). When I recently visited Sicily for the first time, I fell head over heels for the island’s incredible flavours and was immediately challenged to recreate this authentic dish back home.

The result? Pure magic on a plate. Every forkful transports you straight to a Sicilian terrace overlooking the Mediterranean, with the perfect balance of zesty lemon, buttery pasta, and those gorgeous golden flowers that make this dish as beautiful as it is delicious.

On another note, we are both also SO excited to be bringing you details of our very first Sicilian-themed food and table styling workshop, which will be held next month in Edinburgh city centre! Head on over to my shop page on this website and click on events for more details. Limited spaces available!

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Pasta:
400g high-quality dry linguine (bronze cut)

For the Sauce:
50g unsalted butter
Zest of 2 organic lemons
Juice of 1 lemon
60g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
150ml pasta cooking water (reserved)
Fine sea salt
White pepper

For the Muddica Croccante:
60g fresh breadcrumbs (sourdough if possible)
30ml extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp lemon zest

To Serve:
Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
8 courgette flowers, stamens removed (optional)
Fresh basil leaves
Extra lemon zest

Method

Make the muddica: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat with crushed garlic until fragrant (about 1 minute), then discard garlic. Add breadcrumbs and toast, stirring frequently, until golden and crisp (3-4 minutes). Finish with lemon zest, a pinch of salt, and optional chilli. Keep warm.

Prepare the courgette flowers: Wash gently under cold water and pat completely dry with kitchen paper. Slice 4 flowers into thin ribbons, handling delicately to avoid tearing. Reserve the remaining 4 whole flowers for plating.

Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add linguine and cook until al dente according to packet instructions. Before draining, reserve 150ml of the starchy pasta water in a measuring jug.

Make the lemon sauce: In a large, wide pan over low heat, melt the butter gently without browning. Add lemon zest and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add lemon juice. Add the courgette flower ribbons and cook gently for 1-2 minutes until just wilted. Add 2 tablespoons (30ml) of the reserved pasta water, whisking continuously to form a glossy emulsion. Off the heat, stir in Parmigiano until creamy. Adjust with more pasta water as needed — the sauce should be silky and coating, not heavy.

Combine pasta and sauce: Remove the sauce pan from heat and immediately add the drained pasta to the lemon sauce.

Season and finish: Taste and season lightly with salt and white pepper. The sauce should be silky and coat the pasta beautifully.

Plating: Using tongs, twirl pasta into neat nests on warmed plates. Arrange the reserved whole courgette flowers decoratively around each portion. Sprinkle the warm muddica croccante generously over the pasta for contrast and crunch. Finish with torn fresh basil leaves and extra lemon zest grated over the top.