Diva’s Pantry Pasta

¾ pound (12 oz.) dried (imported Italian) linguini pasta
1 cup “grated” Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano
⅓ cup “chopped” Italian parsley
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons “unsalted” sliced butter (grass-fed preferred)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon “finely” zested lemon rind
¼ teaspoon “crushed” red pepper flakes
4 “thinly sliced” cloves of garlic
3 “chopped” oil-packed anchovy fillets
½ teaspoon Kosher salt or to taste
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper or to taste

Bring to boil a large pot of salted water over high heat. Stir in the pasta and cook to perfection or “al dente” (approx. 3 minutes). Before draining in a colander, save 1 to 1½ cups of the pasta water. Then, quickly drain the pasta in the colander and set it aside.

In the pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and garlic and stir until the garlic is nicely browned (approx. 3 to 4 minutes). Pour in the pepper flakes and anchovies (use a wooden spoon to stir and crush the fillets). The goal is to crush and dissolve the anchovies (approx. 1 to 1½ minutes).

Pour in 1 cup (or a tad more but not all) of the saved pasta water along with the cheese; allow the cheese to melt (approx. 1 to 1½ minutes). Use tongs to add the pasta and lightly mix. Add the pepper and butter while continuing to stir. The sauce will thicken as the pasta gets fully coated. Continue to cook and toss the pasta (add more saved pasta water, if necessary) but leave the pasta “al dente” (approx. 3 to 4 minutes).

Remove the pot from the heat and toss in the lemon juice, zest, and parsley. Finally, plate the pasta and top with a drizzle of olive oil and little cheese.

Serve this with a beautiful fresh green salad of your choice!

Diva Tips:

• For an extra kick, simply add more black pepper.
• Although this recipe works well with any pasta, I prefer the long noodles to roll on a fork such as linguini, spaghetti or angel hair.
• Quinoa or whole-wheat pasta is my preference for healthier options.