Pasta, a Better Lunch than Sandwiches, Faster Too!

 Left-overs are key here.  And, I had some good ones: asparagus, steamed and refrigerated, extra grated Parmesan, fresh pigeon peas, boiled and chilled, a little container of left-over spaghetti pasta and of course, the staples, an Olive Tapenade, which is important to have in your fridge, along with capers, and you could add anchovies, but the base is a combination of the noodles and olive oil, or preferably this great Tapenade, the chunky version with olives of several kinds, peppers, garlic and other spices in olive oil.  Just get some and keep it handy for pasta, pizzas or panini.  Do it, yes!

So all you do is heat a few heaping tablespoons of that wonderful Tapenade over medium, then when it starts to sizzle, add in all your extras with the pasta, toss til heated through and voila.   Is that easy or what?? Top with clippings of fresh parsley or minced basil, or....and the grated cheese.  Best lunch or quick dinner you'll ever have.  Guaranteed!  Sending this post to Beth Fish for her Week-end Cooking collection.

So Beautiful, Colorful Pasta Bowties for Puttanesca High Hog

I love, love, love this Farfalline Multicolori, it is Specialita for sure.  A bit (uulp) pricey to say the least, but  your spirits will be raised, just looking at the package.  Mine were.  A possible cure for depression.  Color therapy.  A friend was behind me in line, and both she and the checker totally convinced me.  Not that I needed much convincing.  Healthy too, no fake colors in there, they use spinach, turmeric, paprika, beetroot or squid ink.  So colorful.

Having just finished the latest (in our library anyway) set in Venice, Donna Leon mystery, By It's Cover, I was hankering for Italian.   Always enjoy her tantalizing descriptions of meals eaten along the way.  So inspired by the book, did a Puttanesca on the high hog (wearing fancy bow ties, with pork, ha ha) with it last night.  Just added some cubed ham, crisped up in olive oil, garlic, olives, capers, and cream.  Some of the saved pasta water as well.  Also, the colors do not leach out as some other colored pastas have a tendency to.  Lovely and deelish!  Will share this with Beth Fish's Weekend Cooking.  She is sharing a delightful cookbook with contributions from mystery writers this time.