Enjoy a zesty pasta dish guaranteed to bring brightness to your dinner table. With meaty Castelvetrano olives that mellow with cooking and golden pine nuts adding creamy richness, this recipe shines. A touch of garlic and fresh lemon, paired with Parmesan and pasta water, creates a glossy sauce that perfectly coats the linguine. Adding a sprinkle of briny feta finishes the dish exquisitely. For more zing, dust each serving with extra lemon zest. Omit crushed red pepper for a milder version.
Ingredients:
– 1 pound linguine
– 3 tablespoons olive oil
– 1 cup (4 1/2 oz.) Castelvetrano olives, pitted and chopped
– 0.5 cup pine nuts
– 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped (1 Tbsp.)
– 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for water
– 0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more for serving
– 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
– 2 teaspoons lemon zest, divided, plus 1/4 cup fresh juice (from 2 lemons)
– 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 oz.)
– 0.25 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 1 oz.)
Instructions:
1. Boil a large pot of salted water and cook linguine to the desired tenderness. Drain, keeping 1 cup of cooking water.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Sauté olives and pine nuts, stirring until pine nuts turn golden, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, salt, crushed red pepper, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon lemon zest, cooking until fragrant. Remove from heat after adding lemon juice.
3. Combine linguine with 1/2 cup of reserved cooking water. Stir in Parmesan gradually, adding more cooking water to achieve a smooth sauce.
4. Serve topped with feta and remaining lemon zest, adding extra crushed red pepper to taste.
