Mangi la pasta!

I'm Italian...all italian...I love Italian food, but rarely eat out in an italian restaurant unless it is real Italian food. I can cook it better myself. I know what it's supposed to taste like. I grew up on the stuff. My grandmother's could cook their ass off. Hands down some of the best food I've ever tasted. Alot was peasant food. Comfort food. Whatever you want to call it. They lived through the deperession so they learned to make something with just about nothing. Chicken feet to flavor the sauce, fresh picked dandelion greens sauted in garlic, tripe marinated in tomatoe sauce. May sound gross to some, but it is damn good. Made you want to slap your mama good. Well, all except the tripe maybe.

I guess I'm a snob in this department. I've lived in some big cities. Frequented the North End of Boston, which is a smaller version of New York's Little Italy, on a weekly basis. Small markets brimming with fresh cheeses, olives, salami, italian cookies, and the list goes on and on. Small pizzas cooked in brick ovens with the most utmost fresh ingredients. This ain't no Dominos honey! One small restaurant in an alley way in the North End made the best Veal Piccata I've ever tasted. They barely spoke the English:)

Olive Garden..Gross...Carrabas...somewhat eidble. My cooking delish! Pasta...Be still my heart. It's my weakness and I love it..and it love's me. Take for instance the pictured dish. The sauce is light, fresh and uncooked. Olive oil, fresh garden tomotoes, lots and lots of garlic, fresh basil, sea salt and freshly ground peppercorns were placed in a bowl and placed in the corner to marinate for 4 hours. Cooked a pound of pasta aldente. Put it together with some grated Ricotta Salada on top and viola....a wonderful dinner.