>> source: NYT Cooking (Clare de Boer)
>> serves: 8 to 10
>> prep time: 10 minutes
>> cook time: 30 minutes
>> total time: 70 minutes

Bring a large #pot{} of heavily @salt{}ed water to boil.

Make the tapenade: Place the @pitted kalamata olives{1.5%cups}, @finely grated or minced garlic clove{1}, @fresh thyme leaves or dried herbes de Provence{0.5%tsp}, @crushed fennel seeds{1%tsp}, @finely grated zest of lemon{1}, and @red wine vinegar{1%tsp} in the #bowl of a food processor{}. Blitz until the olives are broken down, but not into a paste. Add the @extra-virgin olive oil{1/3%cup} and pulse once to combine. Scrape into a large #bowl{} and set aside.

Prepare the pasta: Boil @short pasta such as farfalle{1%lbs} for ~{4%minutes} before adding the @halved crosswise green beans{0.5%lbs}, then continue to cook until the pasta is slightly shy of al dente and a little too firm to eat (the timing will range depending on the brand you're using). Reserve @pasta cooking water{3%cups}, then drain the pasta and green beans. Tip the pasta and beans into the bowl with the tapenade, add 2 cups of the pasta water, and toss to combine.

Stir the pasta from time to time as it cools to room temperature, ~{30%minutes}. Taste it. If it starts to look a little dry, add another splash of pasta water, or vinegar if it needs more acid.

Tear in the @fresh basil leaves{0.5%cup}, sprinkle over the @shaved ricotta salata (optional){1/3%cup} and top with @freshly ground black pepper{} just before serving, ideally at room temperature.