Hot, Sweet Spaghetti

I have been enjoying , on the recommendation of the chocolate lady, a book called The Unplugged Kitchen by Viana La Place.You might like to read it, too. I will not go on about it, except to say that I don't think you have to share her style of cooking or approach to food to feel refreshed and invigorated by it. This simple and surprising pasta recipe comes from that book.

Pretty much every cook I know likes to make a plain pasta recipe sometimes, when he or she is very tired and/or cranky, and does not wish to fuss. When you are worn out and hungry, but a bit out of sorts, of course you do not want to be fixing something elaborate and demanding. You might not want to eat such a thing, even if someone else made it for you. You certainly don't want to clean up and do a million dishes after you eat. The thought of it is enough to kill your appetitie, even though it is considerable, since you haven't had any real food nearly all day, damn it. If you eat something junky because it is easy, in your delicate state, it will make you want to hurl.

Even though you do not want to fuss, the simpler routines of cooking are soothing. You can unwind while setting out a few basic ingredients, chopping a bit , boiling some water, and simmering a few aromatic goodies in a pan. A cloth napkin, a fork, and pasta decanted into a shallow, individual bowl are a righteous reward, with only one pan and bowl and fork to clean, and a pasta pot to rinse when you are done. A glass or wine, or a glass of water, depending on your mood, and you are on your way to realignment-or to bed.

I have most often served these purposes with a garlic, lemon, pepper, parmesan sort of thing, which is very nice and serviceable. This equally simple recipe is going to take over that function for a bit. It is delicious, easy, especially hunger-satisying, and restorative...I think the ginger has a lot to do with that part. Follow the advice of its creator, and do not be tempted to gussy it up, or the balance will be spoiled. You will be glad, when eat it, that you resisted the temptation to grate parmesan all over it.

Viana La Place's Hot, Sweet Spaghetti

serves 2 for main course supper

Extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsps
garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced 2
red pepper flakes 1/4tsp
peeled, finely julienned fresh ginger 2 tbsps
canned whole organic tomatoes (or home canned tomatoes) and juice 1 1/2 cups
sea salt
dried imported spaghetti 1/2 lb
fresh basil leaves, chiffonade 10 leaves or so
freshly ground or pounded black pepper to taste

Put olive oil, garlic and red pepper in a heavy saute pan over a low heat. Put a pasta pot full of water on to boil. Stir oil over low heat 3 minutes. Add ginger and stir one minute. Add tomatoes, crushing with a big spoon. Add salt to taste. turn off heat, and wait for water in pasta pot to boil. Add salt and pasta to pot. Bring tomato mixture to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, or until pasta is done to your degree of toothsomeness. Drain pasta, and dump drained pasta into sauce. Add fresh basil and toss with tongs or 2 spoons. Divide into 2 shallow individual bowls, and serve, with fresh pepper grated over each bowl.

You can almost feel it flowing through your veins to your fingertips, purely hot and sweet.

Comments

[zp]

You could toss a few strands of saffron in there and it would be all fancy.

[Julie]

I frequently do something very much like this without the ginger and basil. I use basil if I have fresh basil around which I usually don't in the winter, but ginger is a completely new idea -- and so completely counterintuitive with the rest of these ingredients that I have to try it out.

[Lynn D.]

I am a big fan of Viana La Place. Verdura and Pasta Fresca were a godsend when The Vegetarian lived with us. They would be equally helpful for anyone who receives a weekly farm box or has a vegetable garden. I haven't come across Unplugged.

[Rebecca]

I, too, have been a Viana La Place fan since a friend gave me Cucina Fresca back in the 80s. I cooked a lot out of that book; then got Pasta Fresca as well. I have Unplugged but haven't used it as much because, well, I'm not really unplugged. This combination sounds super, though.

[lindy]

zp-Mmm. It would be fancy. Maybe when I get tired of eating the plain version constantly.
Julie-I think you will like the ginger; it does it for me.
Lynn D. and Rebecca-How is it that I missed Viana La Place until now? I have always spent unconscionable amounts of time examining all the cookbooks in bookstores. I did spend a chunk of the eighties in law school, though, and all of it with a child-maybe I missed more stuff.
I'm not unplugged either,usually. I do love to slice veggies, though, and mash things in my stone mortar. I see the appeal.

[littlebouffe]

Thanks for bringing Vivian La Place to my attention. i'm quite far from unplugged, but I look forward to checking out one of her books as soon as I am able.

[Ange]

I was in a mood like this last Friday & my meal was very embarrasing, I cooked up some dried pasta & the sauce was something red I found in my freezer, it had been there so long I cant rememebr what it was though had a feeling it was definitely NOT a pasta sauce, added some leftover baby spinach & grated some parmesan on top & wallah dinner & actually was pretty tasty amazingly. Was so rushed the dishes didnt get done til Sunday either!

[Christiane]

Sounds amazing!