Smoked Salmon Pasta

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook 12 oz. dried small short or tubular pasta such as campanelle or shells until al dente, about 1 minute less than package instructions. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water, strain in a colander, and set aside.

Add ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil to the empty pot and heat over medium-high heat. Add 1 large shallot, thinly sliced into rings and cook, stirring often, until translucent but not browned, about 3–5 minutes. Add 3 Tbsp. capers, drained and roughly chopped and cook, stirring often, until capers are sizzling, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Add the pasta and 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter and stir, adding the reserved pasta water ¼ cup at a time as needed until creamy and emulsified. Remove from heat and stir in ¼ lb. hot smoked salmon, flaked, the zest and juice of 1 medium lemon, and ⅓ cup roughly chopped fresh dill. Taste and add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Editor’s note: An earlier version of this smoked salmon pasta recipe was first printed in August 2004. Head this way for more of our favorite pasta dishes →