Spicy Green Bean Ditalini With Caramelized Lemon

Briny, crunchy, lemony, and faintly spicy, this pasta salad of sorts hits all the high notes flawlessly. Barely blanched green beans and a handful of aromatics are “cold fried”—that is, they start in a pool of cool oil and gently sizzle and brown as the heat catches up. This is an easier splatter-free approach than dropping it all in a skillet of hot oil. Shreds of fresh mozzarella offer cool, creamy comfort and hold up well for a few hours at room temperature. Any small, tubular pasta will do in place of the ditalini.