Something simple

Compared to a week ago I feel like a million bucks. I still won't be running a 10 minute mile anytime soon.

Food has a huge impact on my spirits and after thinking it over I decided I wanted to enjoy something simple.

Comfort Food. Thin spaghetti in marinara. Yes I know it's over sauced.
That, by the way, is whole wheat spaghetti. The texture of whole wheat pasta is a little more firm and the surface a little more coarse when compared to refined white flour pasta. I think whole wheat pasta holds up really well in a sauce and certainly with a sauce like this nobody will taste any difference.

I've blogged this recipe before. It's from Tyler Florence. He described it as *the* authentic Neapolitan marinara.

Sauté 4 or 5 chopped anchovies and chopped garlic in anchovy oil, add a (28 oz.) can of ground peeled tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes. That's it.

I've messed with that recipe a hundred different ways. It just doesn't get much better than that original recipe. That recipe was life changing. I learned what "something simple done well" really means and, more significantly, I discovered I love anchovies.

In years and years of trying I've only found a couple of tweaks to improve on the original.

• I add the tiniest pinch of red pepper flakes to the anchovies and garlic
• I rinse the tomato can into the sauce with whatever wine I'm drinking
• I add a generous pinch of chopped parsley at the end, after it's off the heat
• I splash in (barely) a tablespoon of really nice extra virgin olive oil when I add the parsley

I'm also not as impressed with San Marzano tomatoes as I used to be. In a side by side taste test with my favorite San Marzano tomatoes I picked Pastene Kitchen Ready tomatoes. I hate it when I find I buy into marketing as easily as the next guy. I'm a huge fan of blind taste tests!

I'm hoping to ride in a couple of weeks. That might be overly optimistic. I think if I can get a saddle on L without any help I ought to be able to ride. With the 8 and a half inches of rain we've had these past 2 weeks our trails will be gone by the time we get back out there. I'm actually pretty sure L will still find them even if I can't!