Pipe Rigate Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Lemon Zest

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon zest finely grated
• 1 tsp lemon juice or more if needed, lemon is very personal
• 4 oz. smoked salmon (wild caught, farm raised doesn't have the nutrients you are after)
• 3 tbsp heavy cream
• 1/4 cup Chives
• 1 lb pipe rigate pasta
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. When the water bubbles, salt the water and cook the pasta for 9-10 minutes (check at 8 for al dente).
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil and just a sliver of butter. Add chives, lemon zest and lemon juice; remove from the heat.
3. Shred salmon and stir it into the chives and lemon mix. Do not cook.
4. Now add the heavy cream, some salt, and a generous amount of ground black pepper.
5. When the pasta is ready, drain (keep 1/4 cup of cooking water) and stir it into the salmon sauce.
6. At low heat, simply sauté the pasta for a few minutes, adding the cooking water to create a creamy sauce.
7. The salmon will simply cook with the heat from the pasta.
8. Enjoy!