Brian and Jim Eat

This is the first dish I cooked for my partner 25 years ago. It’s relatively inexpensive and usually I can pull it together with pantry staples. There are countless variations but this is the one that I can make from memory and has served me well for over 2 decades.

• Olive Oil, 2 1/2 times around the pan
• Garlic, 4-5 cloves or more or less to your taste
• Anchovies, 1 can flat
• Red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp or a touch more if you like
• Tomatoes, 2 cand, whole or sliced ideally but chopped work. Crushed would be last choice
• Olives, about 1/4 cup sliced kalamata, oil cured, or similar
• Capers, 1-2 tablespoons to taste
• Parsley, flat leaf, 1/4-1/2 cup chopped
• Pasta of your choice. Long thin is the best like spaghetti. Fettuccini works well too. In these pictures I have a gluten free fresh fettuccine.

Sauté the olive oil, garlic, anchovies and red pepper until the anchovies melt into the oil.

Add the tomatoes and stir periodically while cooking over medium heat

Cook and stir until most the liquid is gone and the oil clearly starts to separate

Add in the olives and reduce more of the liquid until mostly gone

Turn off the heat and add in capers

Stir in the pasta and plate. Topping with the parsley.

Simple salad dressed with olive oil, white pepper and lemon juice.

Gotta have a cocktail…this is my version of a Pomtini that includes grand marnier, home Meade citrus vodka, lime juice, pomegranate and grey goose.