PASTA QUEST…JUNE 13…DAY 1

It feels good to be back in the kitchen planning another pasta dinner. I scrounged around in a nearly empty fridge and found some arugula and old Ciabatta buns…with a little olive oil, garlic, and lemon that should be enough for dinner (I hope!)

Here’s the plan, really quite simple:

Before cooking the pasta, either Capellini or Linguine, I will grate the bread to create about ¼ cup of crumbs and chop 2-3 cups of the Arugula and set both aside. While the pasta cooks I’ll sauté the finely sliced garlic in the olive oil along with 3 Anchovie fillets, mashing them with a fork while they cook. If I don’t
forget I’ll add the juice from half a lemon later in the cooking process.

The cooked pasta goes in a serving bowl and is tossed the oil-garlic-anchovy mixture and the Arugula, plus a bit of the pasta water as needed. Some additional olive oil will be drizzled on the dish followed by the breadcrumbs.

I’m writing this out before hand, rather than after the fact, so things are a bit out of the usual order.

INGREDIENTS:

Bread crumbs…toasting them is an option
Arugula
Olive oil
Garlic
Fresh lemon juice
Anchovies

COMMENTS:

I was concerned about this...not sure how it would turn out, but to my great delight it was quite good...no...very good. Patience worked extra late tonight and at her urging I did not wait for her. When she got home I warmed up some of the pasta and she really liked it. For those who hate anchovies...she could not tell they were there. But they were, giving a very deep, robust flavor to the sauce. Not at all "fishy".

I don't know that the Arugula is needed...I think it would be fine on its own.

I don't know what to call this...I know anything with Anchovies in the name will keep many people away...perhaps Capellini (Angel hair) with mystery sauce and Arugula.