lemony linguine

Pasta is my weakness. It's what makes me go to the gym. The carb goodness is a worthy sacrifice. So here's to more time on the treadmill. I found this yummy recipe while browsing Citrus and Candy (an adorable foodie blog with good-enough-to-eat photos). Lemon, linguine, and cheese? I'm in!

Ingredients:

2 cups packet of dried linguine
5 tablespoons of Extra Virgin olive oil5 tablespoons of lemon juice (about 1.5-2 lemons)
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup of finely grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
1 cup Greek feta, crumbled
1 bunch of fresh basil leaves
Roasted pine nuts to serve (optional)

Preparation:Cook your pasta in plenty of boiled salted water according to packet’s instructions until al-dente. Drain and reserve about 2 tablespoons of the pasta water.
Tip the drained pasta back into the pot then add the oil, lemon juice and rind and toss to coat.
Add the parmesan and most of the feta (reserve some for serving) and toss well to combine, adding some of the pasta water little by little for lubrication as needed.
Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste and check that it’s lemony or cheesy enough for you (personally I like mine extra sour with lemon zest).
Grab whatever amount of basil leaves you like, tear into pieces then toss through the pasta.
Pile onto plates and garnish with extra parmesan, crumbled feta and basil. Sprinkle over the roasted pine nuts if using and serve immediately.

[click on image for source]