My Penchant for Pasta

I’m a pasta lover. It’s become a kind of addiction; I think I’d be eating pasta every day if only my wife shared my dependence. It started right after college when I lived in Rome. I’d go to a certain restaurant for Sunday lunch because it had the best homemade lasagna that day. Or, to another place because they served an unbelievable spaghetti all'amatriciana Thursday night. You get spoiled living like this. But of course you can’t, so I’ve learned how to make wonderful pasta dishes at home. I don’t make my own pasta because I prefer good dry pasta. The best generally comes from the Naples area although good Italian grocery brands are now available almost everywhere. Tonight, for instance, I’m making a very simple dish: orecchiette (like little ears) with sweet Italian sausage and broccoli. When the sausage is brown and broken up and the broccoli crisp tender, you normally sauté some garlic with hot pepper flakes, then add a little pasta water with the cooked pasta and freshly grated parmesan cheese to make a creamy sauce. I bought some pesto made with kale instead of basil at the farmer’s market, so I’m going to add a heaping spoonful of garlicy pesto and don’t need the garlic. Think of it: meat, vegetable and pasta – all in one simple dish that takes about 20 minutes to make. I can’t wait for dinner. Buon appetito!