Linguine with Squash Noodles and Pine Nuts Recipe

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Heat a small frying pan over medium heat, add pine nuts, and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until golden, about 3 minutes. Remove nuts from the pan and set aside.

Heat butter and oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When butter foams, add shallots and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. Stir in toasted pine nuts and lemon zest, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and remove from heat.

Trim ends off of zucchini and yellow squash. Using a julienne peeler or a mandoline, cut the skin and first layer of flesh from each squash in long ribbons, or “noodles.” (You should have about 3 cups.) Alternatively, you can use a knife to slice the skin and first layer of flesh off each side of the squash (creating four 1/8-inch-thick slices), and then julienne each piece into 1/8-inch-wide ribbons. Reserve remaining squash for another use.

Cook linguine according to the package directions. When about 1 minute of cooking time remains, add squash noodles to the pot. When linguine is cooked and squash is tender, drain well in a colander and then return to the empty pot.

Add shallot mixture, lemon juice, herbs, and 1/2 of the grated cheese. Season with salt and lots of freshly ground pepper and toss well. Transfer pasta to a serving platter and garnish with more fresh herbs and cheese shavings. Pass extra cheese on the side.

Beverage pairing: A delicious but inexpensive white composed of varying percentages of Viognier, Grenache Blanc, and Clairette from the South of France would provide just enough body to stand up to the pasta and ricotta salata, and the freshness and delicate herbal qualities present in some of the best examples would complement the zucchini and pine nut components of this dish. Try the 2005 Côtes du Rhône Blanc La Bastide Saint Dominique.

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