Preparation

Burning lemons sounds wrong until you taste it. The charred flesh becomes jammy and complex, while the juice turns smoky-sweet. Combined with anchovies that melt into the pasta water, this creates a sauce that clings to every strand with almost no effort.

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta according to package directions.
2. While the pasta cooks, place the whole lemons directly over a gas flame (or under a broiler) and char them on all sides until blackened in spots, about 8 minutes total. Let cool slightly, then cut in half and squeeze the juice through a strainer to remove seeds (you should get about 1/4 cup).
3. In a large skillet, heat the oil from the anchovy tin over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until just golden, then add the anchovies and a pinch of red pepper flakes, mashing the anchovies with a wooden spoon until they dissolve.
4. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the skillet with the burnt lemon juice and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water, tossing vigorously until a silky sauce forms (add more pasta water if needed).
5. Taste and adjust seasoning (the anchovies provide salt, so you likely won't need more).

The pasta should taste bright, savory, and mysteriously complex—like something between an Italian classic and a fever dream.