Youssef Akiki’s feta spaghetti

For the pasta:

1. Cook the pasta in a large quantity of salted water, 3 minutes less than the time indicated on the package.

For the feta sauce

1. In a pan, sauté the sliced onions and garlic in olive oil until lightly colored, until they're a soft, confit-like texture.
2. Add the cherry tomatoes, cut in half, then the other fresh red tomatoes, also cut into halves or quarters. Let them cook down slowly to concentrate the flavors.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes, then gradually pour in a bit of the pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce and give it a creamy texture.
4. Add the olives and the basil, mint, pepper, and Espelette pepper.
5. Season lightly, and replace regular salt with a small amount of feta brine (feta water) to bring a milder, more aromatic saltiness.
6. Let simmer for a few more minutes.
7. Add the pasta to the sauce. Let it simmer for another three minutes.
8. Once finished, add the feta, cut into small cubes, a splash of olive oil, and sprinkle with lemon zest.