Dirty Martini Pasta

Pasta alla vodka is a well-known Italian-American dish, but this gin-spiked alternative feels distinctly British. The alcohol helps boost the other flavour compounds present in the sauce, while the botanicals in the gin add a sharpness that works wonderfully with the Fragata Marinated Olives with Olive Oil & Lemon. Feta adds a saltiness to bring it back into martini territory, while the pangrattato (crispy breadcrumbs) sprinkled on top are vital for adding some welcome crunch.

Serves 4

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Difficulty Easy

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Ingredients

olive oil, for frying

30g of panko breadcrumbs

400g of linguine

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

175g of Fragata Marinated Olives with Olive Oil & Lemon, roughly chopped

1 pinch of chilli flakes, (optional)

2 lemons, both zested and 1 juiced

40ml of gin

50g of salted butter

30g of parsley, chopped, plus extra to garnish

70g of feta, crumbled

Method

Start by placing a frying pan over a medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the breadcrumbs and fry, stirring until golden brown and crisp. Remove from the heat and leave to cool

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the pasta until al dente (7 minutes), reserving about 100ml of pasta water before draining

In a large pan, heat another drizzle of olive oil over a medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant

Add the chopped olives, chilli flakes and all the lemon zest. Cook for 2–3 minutes until everything is lightly golden and aromatic

Pour in the gin and let it bubble and deglaze the pan, then add the lemon juice and butter and stir until melted. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water and mix – this should make the sauce glossy and thicker

Add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss. Add pasta water bit by bit if needed until silky and clinging to the pasta, then remove from the heat and stir through the chopped parsley

Divide between four bowls and top with crumbled feta, breadcrumbs and more parsley