Pappardelle Pasta with Olives, Thyme, and Lemon

By kmad

The sauce for this pasta dish, designed by chef George Germon of Al Forno restaurant in Providence, Rhode Island, takes only a few minutes to prepare.

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for water
• 8 ounces dried pappardelle, or other long, flat pasta
• 16 Kalamata olives, pitted
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• Zest of 1 lemon, coarsely chopped
• One 3-inch strip orange zest, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

1.Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and pappardelle, and cook until pasta is al dente, following label directions. Drain in a colander, reserving 1 cup cooking water.

2.While pasta is cooking, combine olives, parsley, olive oil, thyme, lemon zest, orange zest, and red-pepper flakes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse until a chunky puree forms. Transfer to a warm serving bowl large enough to accommodate cooked pasta.

3.Add pasta, and toss to combine. Add 1/4 cup cooking water, and toss to combine. Add more water if necessary; pappardelle has a tendency to absorb liquid quickly, so more water may be needed. The sauce should cling to ribbons of pasta but should not be dry. Serve immediately.