Spaghetti can be eaten most successfully if you inhale it like a vacuum cleaner
Sophia Loren

At least 5 nights a month I get to make dinner for one and I usually peruse books that I haven’t used forever or an Italian book that is filled with pasta or fresh pizza ideas.  This past week I made a spaghetti dish that I have meant to get around to for years, so simple but forgotten until you see some leftover wine that screams cook spaghetti in red wine.  So I finally got around to making a spaghetti vino rosso and I put it on the keeper list.  I made enough for two, dinner one night and lunch the next day.  Simple ingredients combined for a quick, easy, lovely bowl of pasta.

spaghetti in vino rosso ~ easily doubled

adapted from Cucina Italiana

2 to 4 servings

Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1-1/anchovy fillets, rinsed and roughly chopped, I’m going to try the salted ones next time
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 dried arbol chilies, crushed
• 1-1/2 + cups Italian red wine
• 1/2 pound bucatini or spaghetti
• ½ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Zest of ½ large lemon
• ½ cup freshly grated pecorino romano genuino or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In a large, high-sided skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add anchovy, garlic and chili; reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is softened, about 2 minutes; remove from heat. Stir in wine and generous pinch salt.

Add pasta to boiling water and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Drain (do not rinse) and transfer to skillet with wine. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring gently and steadily with tongs, until wine is just about absorbed, 7 to 8 minutes; remove from heat. Stir in parsley, lemon zest and pinch salt. Divide pasta among bowls, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.

Two Pizzas ~ Gorgonzola & Caramelized Onion Pizza
BBQ Chicken & Cheese

Easy pizza if you have your dough made ahead of time…a simple sun-dried tomato puree added to a little fresh tomato sauce, fresh chopped chives, crumbled gorgonzola, seasoned and dusted with freshly grated parm before serving…

I used some of the leftover rough chopped rotisserie chicken added a bit of BBQ Sauce (about 2-3 tablespoons depending on the amount of chicken), use your favorite sauce, I had some frozen homemade and I was making just one 8-inch pizza.  I divided my sun-dried tomato sauce and added  2 or so tablespoons to the sauce for the BBQ chicken pizza.

Heat a pizza stone in a 500° oven, shape your pizza, brush with just a little EVOO, spread with a little sun-dried tomato sauce, top with gorgonzola, caramelized onions and fresh chopped chives.

For the second pizza brush with EVOO, thinly spread BBQ tomato sauce, sprinkle a blend of your favorite cheeses, top with chicken and dot with a little more sauce.

Both pizzas will take about 7-8 minutes each, place on wooden board dust with freshly grated parm, some cracked pepper, slice and serve.