Life is Beautiful!

Ah, the tastes and smells of Italy. A fresh tomato, a sprig of wine and a crust of bread, what can be better? It is important to note that Italian cuisine is all about finding the freshest ingredients. I remember being in Rome some years ago and experiencing this wonderful fact. So last night I made some pasta. I was in the mood from something from the south. When I think of the south, I think tomatoes and rolling hills into the yellow countryside. I was also in the mood for something quick and not very labor intensive. One other thing to note about cooking is that you don’t have to be clever in trying to throw more and more into a dish. Less is more, I repeat less is more! It is a very simple recipe to follow in making tomato sauce. I will say that there are many variations of making this sauce. It all depends on your preference. You can have it be thick and chunky, sweet, salty, light, meaty, zesty. The possibilities are endless! Just keep it simple. Now when it comes to pasta, I will say that there are many reasons for the different types of pasta. I will write another article about what goes with what, but certain pastas go with certain sauces. In America we throw food on the table and run with it. In Italy there is a particular way for doing everything. I think that they will forgive me if I didn’t pair it right, let’s hope! If the Italians won’t I know that God will!

Recipe
6 Roma Tomatoes
1 Onion
1 Garlic clove
1/3 Cup of EVOO
1/4 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
Rigitoni Pasta

Cut up the tomatoes into small pieces. Dice up the onions and garlic. Grab your favorite stock pot and place the olive oil in the pot and sauté the tomatoes, onions and garlic. Keep at a low-medium heat until cooked down. I then threw the sauce into a food processor. You don’t have to. At the same time get a pot of boiling water rolling. It’s up to you, but my rule for pasta water is to have the water as salty as the ocean!   I chose to use rigatoni. When the pasta is done drain it and then add the sauce right into the pan and mix it around. It’s ready to serve! Throw some parmigiano reggiano on top and drizzle a touch of EVOO. Enjoy!