With buttery Castelvetrano olives, crispy breadcrumbs and tart lemon, this pasta recipe has the perfect balance of flavor and texture! Even better, this linguine recipe comes together in just 30 minutes, making it the perfect weeknight meal or a great recipe to make for a last minute dinner party!

Ingredients

Makes 6 servings 1x 2x 4x
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 lemon zested and juiced
  • 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
  • 1 garlic clove grated
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves minced
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley leave minced
  • 1 (16 ounce) jar Sliced Castelvetrano Olives drained
  • 1/4 cup Imported Non-Pareil Capers drained and roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 12 ounces linguine
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving

Instructions

  1. In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the breadcrumbs, salt and pepper and garlic powder. Cook, stirring often, until golden brown and fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl and add the lemon zest. Stir to combine and set aside.
  2. To a large mixing bowl, add the anchovy paste, grated garlic, minced basil, minced parsley, Mezzetta® Sliced Castelvetrano Olives, roughly chopped Mezzetta® Imported Non-Pareil Capers, toasted pine nuts and extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and stir together to combine.
  3. In a large pot of boiling salted water*, cook the pasta to package instructions for al dente and reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.
  4. Add the pasta to the large bowl containing the olive pesto and add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water to the bowl. Toss together, adding the parmesan cheese a little at a time as well as the remaining ¼ cup of pasta water until a creamy “sauce” has formed.
  5. Add the juice from the reserved zested lemon and toss before dividing the mixture among bowls and topping with the toasted garlic breadcrumbs and additional grated parmesan cheese.
  6. Enjoy!

Chef's Note

The best ratio for salted pasta water is 1 tablespoon of salt for every 4 quarts (16 cups) of water.