Midnight Pasta

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until about 2 minutes shy of al dente so the pasta can finish cooking in the sauce. It should still have a slight crunch in the center. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, combine the oil, garlic, anchovies (if using), red-pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt over low heat. Cook until garlic is opaque, and a few of the slices are pale gold at the edges (don’t let the garlic turn brown), 2 to 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook until it darkens, about 1 minute longer.

Add the drained pasta, lemon zest, and ⅓ cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet. Stir until the pasta is al dente and well coated with sauce. Add more pasta water, if needed, until the sauce is glossy and the pasta cooked to taste.

Cut the zested lemon half in half (so you’ll have a quarter of a lemon) and squeeze some juice into the pasta. Stir in herbs and taste, adding more lemon juice and salt, if needed. Cut the remaining lemon into wedges and serve it alongside the pasta, which should be garnished with more herbs and red-pepper flakes, a drizzle of oil, and a generous sprinkle of cheese, if you like.