When the Smoke Clears

Cooking is one way I relax. I haven’t had a chance to relax much lately. After this trip, though, I went to play in the kitchen but I wanted something quickly. Also, I rarely follow recipes and have great results in my opinion, but my guests get frustrated because I often don’t remember how I made something since it was all Jazzy improvisation.

So for everyone whose name starts with J or K, especially you, Jules, this is one I came up with today, though I’m sure someone already has something like this out there. It’s fast and it even surprised me. (note: this is a time-saver. If going for a real thrill, I’d be a lot more exclusive with the ingredients)

_ 8 oz. uncooked pasta… I prefer a linguine for this one, but campanelle or anything without a thin shape will probably be great.
_ 1 14 oz. can diced italian style tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic
_ 1 tsp. mild olive oil
_ 1/2 tsp. crushed garlic
_ 1/4 cup hearty red wine
_ 1 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar (commercial, non-genuine is fine)
_ 1 tbsp. basil pesto
_ 1 tsp. sugar (cuts acidity in tomato sauces… chemistry, people.)
_ 1/2 (~3 oz.) of a small package of goat cheese (not feta) crumbled

Cook the pasta. In a separate hot saucepan, add the olive oil and garlic and cook for 1 minute over medium-high heat. Add the pesto and red wine. Let the wine reduce by half. Add the tomatoes and stir. Let the tomatoes cook for 1 minute then add the vinegar and sugar. Take sauce to a simmer and let cook over medium-low heat while pasta is cooking. Stir occasionally. While pasta is draining, add the goat cheese, increase the heat and stir until melted. Pour sauce over pasta on a plate. Add a side of grilled or breaded chicken for protein if desired, and sprinkle additional goat cheese over the whole dish. 15 minutes.

Play a little Haris Alexiou (Χάρις Αλεξίου) in the background for an additional Mediterranean flair. I recommend her Psytheroi (ΨΙΘΥΡΟΙ) album for a simple guitar or piano and voice combo.

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