Serves 4
Preparation time 5 minutes
Cooking time 10–12 minutes
250 g (8 oz) dried linguine
300 g (10 oz) firm goats’ cheese
1 lemon
75 g (3 oz) butter
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for oiling
3 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
25 g (1 oz) mixed chopped herbs, such as tarragon, chervil, parsley and dill
3 tablespoons capers in brine, rinsed and drained
salt and black pepper
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions until al dente.
Meanwhile, thickly slice the goats’ cheese and arrange on a lightly oiled, foil-lined grill rack. Cook under a preheated hot grill for 2 minutes, or until golden. Set aside and keep warm.
Using a zester, pare strips of rind from the lemon, then squeeze the juice.
Melt the butter with the oil in a frying pan or sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook gently, stirring, for 3 minutes. Stir in the herbs, capers and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Drain the pasta lightly, so that it retains plenty of moisture and does not dry out the sauce, and return to the pan. Add the goats’ cheese and herb mixture and toss the ingredients together gently. Serve immediately with a scattering of the lemon rind strips.
For linguine with omelette & herbs, use 6 eggs in place of the goats’ cheese. Beat 3 eggs with seasoning, heat a knob of butter in a frying pan, add the eggs and cook until set, lifting the edges of the omelette with a spatula to let the liquid run underneath. Turn out and repeat with the other 3 eggs. Roll up and finely slice the omelettes, adding the strips to the pasta with the sautéed shallots, garlic, herbs, capers and lemon juice.