TBIR: Italy

In search of an easy dinner, I landed on Salerno-Style Spaghetti with Fried Eggs and Bread Crumbs (pg 293). This is spaghetti mixed up with parmesan cheese and oil infused with garlic and red pepper flakes. You're supposed to mix parsley in, but I forgot to buy it. Make breadcrumbs, toast them up with oil, and sprinkle them on the pasta. Top this with a fried egg.

In reading the recipe, it occurred to me that there were no vegetables. I had a brilliant scheme to cook arugula in with the garlic. I forgot about it until everything was mixed together, so then I figured I'd just fold it in and let it wilt from the heat of the pasta. I pulled out my bag of arugula from the farmer's market, and found that more than half of it was totally bug-riddled. Especially since it wouldn't be cooked, I didn't want to use it. That accounts for the few pathetic specs of green in the picture. At the last minute, I panicked at the non-vegetables, and threw some tomatoes in.

Conclusion: Just okay, though I'd only make it if I had absolutely nothing in the pantry, or if I were preparing to till a field or something. This is a heavy plate of food.

Yesterday, Matt looked at the bag of cherries in our fridge and said, "You should make that Dorie cherry thing again to use these up." I liked where his head was at, but decided to make a Cherry-Almond Cobbler (pg 99) from Lebovitz's Ready for Dessert instead. In the name of fiscal responsibility, I had to make some dessert. I had no other choice. As I stood at the sink, pitting all those damn cherries, I wished I'd gone for Dorie's clafoutis instead.

I also had a slug of heavy cream left. Whipped cream was the only responsible choice.

The topping for this cobbler was cakier than I'm used to, but I liked it better. Almond paste is mixed in with the batter. mmmmm.

Conclusion: Liked it. Almond paste apparently makes me very, very happy.