Italian

On a chilly day, when you long for something heart warming. Something intense. And feel good. Then that’s the day you really should make this sauce to go with your spaghetti. And after that, the day can just glide into the night, still enjoying the memory of that fantastic pasta.

I do not fancy deserts much and do not have a sweet tooth. Tarte Tatin, yes. And Tiramisu, also a loud and clear ‘si’ to that. For these two I make an exception and will do my utmost to make a vegan version of them. Well, here you have it. Did I already mention that it is amazing? That it is delicious? Well, it is.

This dish consists of 4 ingredients: olive oil, garlic, (red) chili pepper and pasta. It took me a while to prepare a pasta aglio olio that scored an A on my own report. I just could not get it totally right. One night I was having diner with Italian colleagues in Milan and I asked them: how do you prepare a good pasta aglio olio. Well, the evening turned into a heated discussion. I had no clue that a simple dish with 4 ingredients could be the source of so much discussion. Grandma, mum, sister, aunty, the beloved neighbour, all their secret recipes brought at the table. Well, this is my version… But, I did learn that evening what the secret magic to a great pasta aglio olio is… read the preparation of the recipe.

You will find quite some risotto’s on this website. And that’s because we love them so much. That’s because risotto is comfort food. And because it’s slow food. And this risotto is another ‘independently tasting’ risotto. So different from the others. And that’s why it deserves a special place between the other recipes.