Salt
1pound linguine
8tablespoons unsalted butter
3garlic cloves, peeled
1large lemon
Black pepper
Grated Parmesan, lemon zest, crushed red pepper, parsley or a combination, for garnish (optional)

Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente. Reserve 2 cups pasta water, then drain the noodles.

Step 2
Dry the pot, then return to low heat and add the butter. While the butter melts, grate the garlic over the butter. Stir until the garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Finely grate the zest of the lemon into the pot, and add a few grinds of black pepper. When the pepper is sizzling, add 1 cup pasta water and the cooked pasta. Increase heat to medium-high and toss vigorously. As the liquid in the pot evaporates, add another few tablespoons of pasta water. Repeat, tossing vigorously and adding pasta water, until the pasta is glossed in a thick sauce, 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 3
Remove from heat, squeeze in the juice of the whole lemon, and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Optionally, top with Parmesan, lemon zest, crushed red pepper and/or parsley as you like.

By Ali Slagle