Ingredients

  • 1 lb. pasta (shape of your choice)
  • ½ cup basil pesto (Recipe to make your own here)
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

  1. Boil the pasta according to the packet directions. Aim for al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water before draining.
  2. Immediately mix in the pesto. Add half the pasta reserved water while mixing. If your pesto is very thick, add the remaining a little more as needed. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust as needed. (Pestos vary in intensity and seasoning, so the additional seasoning you need will vary.)
  3. Pour the pasta into a bowl and top with crumbled feta. Add a few grinds of black pepper over the top. Serve warm.
  4. Optional: Add some cherry tomatoes, handful of baby greens (spinach, arugula), black olives, or other vegetables of your choice. Alternatively, you could flake a piece of cooked salmon over the pasta and gently mix that through.
  5. NOTE: Refrigerate the leftovers and serve at room temperature within the next couple of days. You may need to add additional pesto and/or other seasoning when you take it out, because the pasta absorbs a lot of the flavor.