Happy Sunday, readers! What are you up to? Are you sitting on your couch while your husband screams expletives at various Dallas Cowboys from past and present? Is he nervously putting on and taking off a random assortment of Cowboys merchandise deeming them good luck or bad luck depending on the play? Has he opened your “special occasion” wine in a panic on a random Sunday night in order to deal with the stress? Is going on hour three of standing two inches from the television with his arms folded? Oh, just me? Hmmm.
The Capitol Husband in his Sunday stance. Dez Bryant’s three drops not pictured.
So, yes, it’s true that the Capitol Husband arguably burns more calories watching the Cowboys than Dez Bryant does playing for them, but as long as we’re on the category of “Things You Didn’t Know About Your Spouse Before You Said ‘I Do,'” I thought I’d be fair and share one about me: I could actually, literally, eat pasta every single night for dinner, something poor CH likely did not realize until it was all too late.
In my single days I would buy blue box mac and cheese by the cart load. I thought it was normal to eat buttered pasta with an entire head of garlic for dinner. I actually would unironically eat the packaged Ramen noodles by choice several times a week. But now that I’ve grown up, settled down and begun to cohabitate, I realized I need to somehow combine my love of pasta in all forms with a more mature, more gourmet approach.
That’s where this recipe comes in, adapted from Bon Appetite magazine: Linguini with Green Olive Sauce and Zesty Breadcrumbs.
Savory, springy and lemony bright, this dish has complexity from the abundance of green herbs, brine from the olives, anchovies and capers, a salty, satisfying crunch from the panko breadcrumbs and a delicious, silky sauce. A perfect option for a satisfying but light meal, as well as a surprising feat from the girl who is mostly always in the mood to rip open a package of $0.89 ramen and go to town.
Linguini with Green Olive Sauce and Zesty Breadcrumbs:
Note: Fresh herbs are key here; there is no substitute.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED (for four):
- 1 tablespoon plus ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 12 ounces linguine or other long pasta
- 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 cup green olives, pitted, halved
- 3 tablespoons drained capers
- ½ ounce Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup), plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
WHAT TO DO, according to BonAppetit.com:
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Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium skillet over medium and cook panko, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; transfer to paper towels to drain and toss with dill and lemon zest.
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Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking liquid.
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Meanwhile, mash anchovies and garlic to a paste on a cutting board with the side of a chef’s knife. Combine with parsley, basil, and half of olives and capers in a large bowl. Chop remaining olives and capers and add to bowl, along with remaining ½ cup oil. Mix well; season sauce with salt and pepper.
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Add pasta and ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid to sauce. Toss, adding Parmesan a bit at a time, along with more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta. Add lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.
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Serve pasta topped with panko and more Parmesan.
Peace, love, Cowboys and carbs,
The Capitol Cook
The Capitol Cook 