Toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds to serveoptional
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Before draining, remove 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta.
Return the pasta to the pot and add the olive oil, Immediately return the pasta to the pot and add the olive oil, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, basil, about 3/4 of the crumbled feta, and half of the cooking water. Toss to combine, add salt and pepper to taste, and toss again. If it’s a bit dry and can use a touch more salt, and some or all of the remaining cooking water.
Turn into a serving bowl and top with the remaining feta, and the pine nuts or pumpkin seeds, if using.
Notes
People often wonder how much to salt the cooking water for pasta. The answer is probably more than you’d think. Some chefs says that the water should taste like the sea, which may be a bit extreme, but a solid tablespoon of salt in a large pot of water is not overdoing it.