Curious Straight Boy Pasta with Vodka

Curious straight boy Lowell and I have been on the town all day. Hopefully he’s not too tired to still be curious! So a simple supper tonight that should still prove intriguing. Might as well expand his horizons to the max!

1 medium onion, chopped finely

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp olive oil

1 can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp chilli flakes

1 - 2 tbsp double cream

As much penne pasta as two of you are hungry for

100ml vodka (or so)

1 tbsp butter

Parmesan for grating

Boil the water for the pasta in a large pan.  Puccini playing in the background is essential. You don't have to be really listening to it but it has to be there. Tosca would be ideal and if so, it has to be the 1953 Callas recording. It will give your cooking a lyrical fluidity.  In another pan heat the oil and soften the onion. Add a large pinch of salt. You’re not looking to brown it so cook very slowly for about 15 minutes. Add the garlic after 10 minutes. By now Tosca should have entered with her famous "Mario! Mario! Mario!" It's all about to get good. By now even Lowell is asking you what's going on in the opera. It's not his thing normally, but it sounds so dramatic and right now, he's wide open to new things.

Admire him in the new shirts he’s bought. He actually does look cute in most of them and a big part of why he’s with you at all is the attention he’s getting. If he thinks this is fun wait until he models the boxer shorts you got him! He’s from the Isle of Wight by the way so most things for him are very exciting. He will never even have imagined this dish could exist!

15 minutes must be up by now. Add the chopped tomatoes. By now you’ll know I like Cirio, though chopped tomatoes are less risky than whole (which are often canned under-ripe so they keep their shape). If you’re cooking lots of pasta (and cooking for boys you usually will be) , add an inch or two of water to the can, swirl around and add that to get all the juice from the can. Simmer 15 – 20 mins or until it approaches pasta sauce consistency.

Add a tablespoon of double cream and decide if it needs another one. Quite likely it won’t. Take it off the heat.

When the pasta is done, drain it and tip in a large bowl. Add the butter, chilli flakes and vodka and then fold in the tomato sauce. The vodka gives it a graininess that he won’t be able to put his finger on. Add the parmesan at the table.

I’m serving with a salad – for some reason, the colder it gets, the more I want raw fresh veg. Call it denial! I’m adding broken up ricotta cheese and pine nuts to salad leaves and dressing it with a Balsamic vinaigrette so it can stand up to a December evening. Dinner’s looking lovely – so is Lowell.