When dinnertime looms and inspiration is scarce, this pantry pasta will be there for you. Raisins make an unlikely starring appearance; they swell and plump in the pasta cooking liquid and balance the briny intensity of the feta and chile-oil-sizzled olives. (Feel free to skip the anchovies if you want to make it vegetarian.) A handful of parsley to finish and you’ll soon see that you really don’t need to be stocked to be well fed.
Ingredients
4 servings
12
¾
⅓
2
1
2
3
4
½
1
Preparation
-
Step 1
Cook 12 oz. rigatoni, cavatappi, or other short pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally and adding ¾ cup golden raisins after 5 minutes, until very al dente, about 3 minutes less than package directions. Drain, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid; reserve pot.
Step 2
Heat ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a small saucepan over medium. Add 2 oil-packed anchovies (if using), 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, coarsely chopped, and 2 tsp. Aleppo-style pepper or other mild red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up anchovies, until mixture is fragrant and oil turns slightly orange in color, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in zest of 1 lemon and 3 garlic cloves, finely grated; season with salt.
Step 3
Return pasta and raisins to reserved pot; add 4 oz. feta, crumbled, and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook over medium heat, tossing vigorously, until feta is starting to melt and coat pasta and pasta is al dente, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add anchovy mixture, ½ cup coarsely chopped parsley, and 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice. Cook, tossing vigorously and adding more pasta cooking liquid if needed, until combined and pasta is coated, about 1 minute. Taste and add more lemon juice and/or season with more salt if needed.
Step 4
Divide pasta among shallow bowls; top with parsley leaves and more Aleppo-style pepper.