Three Layer Cake

Poor (and Lazy) Person’s Pasta

At a restaurant in the Prati area of Rome, I was recently reminded of just how good spaghetti with garlic, oil, and red pepper (spaghetti aglio e olio) is.  It’s a pasta that any Italian family can make, even when they have nothing in the house to eat because there will always be pasta, garlic, olive oil, and red pepper on hand.  (I can’t necessarily say the same about American households!)
 

I do try to make sure I keep some staples.  Among these, canned tuna in olive oil, onions, and capers.  If I’m lucky, I can find some pine nuts in the baking cabinet.  So, in the spirit of my spaghetti aglio, olio, e peperoncino, I made this pasta the other night when I was too lazy to go to the grocery store.  I was so enthused afterwards, I decided I would slash my grocery budget and just eat this and bread and tomatoes from now on.

(For Four)
 

• 300 g spaghetti
• 100g tuna in olive oil, drained
• 1 handful capers, rinsed and drained
• 1 handful pine nuts
• ½ white onion (optional)
• 2 pieces of dried red pepper (optional)
  

 
5 minutes before the pasta is ready to be drained, in a frying pan large enough to contain the pasta, add one tablespoon olive oil, saute onions and red pepper if using.  If not, add directly tuna and capers.  After a few minutes, add the pine nuts and let cook for a couple of more minutes, then turn off the heat.  Toss the spaghetti in the frying pan.
 

For spaghetti aglio e olio  (e peperoncino)

 
Heat several tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan (or more if you don't feel guilty about it!), add garlic and two pieces of dried red pepper, careful not to burn or overheat (could cause fire!)..  Heat oil until garlic turns slightly golden.  Remove garlic, turn off heat.  Pour contents of frying pan over the pasta in a large bowl, or toss the pasta in the frying pan.  Sprinkle with flat leaf parsley.

intro photo:  Clarita Natoli