Just a quick post tonight, maybe I should go to be early.  Had plans to go out to dinner, but the Holidays caught up with
me and was just too tired to go out.. Maybe the arctic blast outside had something to do with it, or maybe the kids off to
a sleepover made up my mind.  Whatever the reason, certainly did not want to spend too much time in the kitchen.  Here
is my argument to all those people out there (take a good look at yourselves, you know who you are) who think they need
to spend HOURS in the kitchen if you are to make a decent home cooked meal.  How about this, you couldn't be further
from the truth..don't be scared.  Go out for take-out or fast food, or whatever, when you feel like, but really, you could make
something on the fly and be shocked at how easy it was. 
     So after two months of blogging, you can see that Pasta in all its shapes, sizes, varieties, is probably my most favorite
food to cook and eat.  My Grandfather probably ate it everyday, I believe I take after him in many ways.  Innocenzo Scaramuzzi
was a genius in the kitchen, an Italian immigrant to New York City from the town of Grassano, Provincia di Matera, Basilicata,
Italy (that's a mouthful).  I would watch him and my grandmother cook for hours on end.  Couldn't get enough of it.  And
everything they cooked was awesome, except maybe some of the more hard core old world dishes which included items
that would make a voracious carnivore go ultra vegan.  This brings me to one of the simplest of all Italian dishes ever,
Pasta with Garlic and Oil, or Pasta con Aglio e Olio.  Pasta, cooked al dente..drained...then sauteed in a big pan in which
you have sauteed 3 sliced cloves of garlic in a good Olive Oil.  Season with hot pepper flakes or black pepper (never both)
and some salt.  I am not a fan of bashing the Italian-American style of cooking foods that were brought over from Italy, but
after several trips to that country, I did find a style of serving the pasta that I liked somewhat better.  Your pasta should
never be swimming in a sauce, especially an oil based one.  How many times have you had Pasta with Garlic and Oil
where the macaroni hydroplanes on the plate because of too much oil?
    The pasta should have a nice coating of the oil, not an inch of oil in the dish.  In fact, in Italy from Venice to Palermo
the oil based sauces almost appeared dry...but they were not, and they were full of flavor.  For 1/2 lb of cooked angel
hair, use less than 1/8 of an inch of olive oil in the bottom of the pan.  Heat the oil and add the garlic.  Don't let it get
to that brown stage, you've gone too far.  Maybe 1 minute in the sizzling pan will allow the garlic to release its' heady
perfume into that oil.
    Add the pasta, carefully incorporate the oil and pasta, adding some pepper, salt...then taste it.  or if it is too dry for
your liking, add a little of the pasta water, a little...Some grated cheese, parmigiano or pecorino, up to you and you are
done.  Not rocket science or a 12 hour ordeal.  Serve with it a green vegetable or salad.  Garnish the pasta with chopped
parsley or not..again, not a deal breaker here. 
    Tonight I opened a can of no salt organic green beans, and drained it.  In a pan I sauteed one minced shallot, then
added the beans.  A little kosher salt and a tsp. of fig balsamic, let that cook for 5 minutes, then I drizzled another
gift for Christmas! over it..an Extra Virgin Olive Oil infused with Meyer Lemon.  Gave a quick stir and added a little
fresh o.j.  Black pepper...done.  The bright sour sweet and citrus flavors combined with the other ingredients to perk
up that dreary can of green beans, and brought a little sunshine into our kitchen on a dark, cold night.  It played off
nicely with the Agli'Ugli (southern Italian dialect, I'm channeling the grandparents again). 
     So bundle up, it's a cold one here at the Jersey Shore ( no Snooki or The Situation in sight) and stop whining that
you can't cook a quick meal during the week.  It's good for you.



And btw, you can add to this pasta by sauteeing capers, anchovies, different types
of olives, small shrimp, cherry tomatoes...etc etc etc