Crouton’s Pasta alla Puttanesca
This is my interpretation of spaghetti alla puttanesca (whore’s spaghetti), a simple yet robust pasta dish that’s easy to make with around-the-house ingredients (well, our house anyway). Don’t be squeamish about the anchovies … they add flavor to the dish,…
Crouton’s Pasta with Italian Sausage
Here’s another easy pasta dish anyone can make. It tastes as good as it looks. Notes I’ve tried this with both kalamata olives and canned black olives. The strong flavor of the kalamatas overpower the bell pepper and broccoli, so…
What’s Cookin’?
Pasta alla Putanesca, that’s-a what!
Apparently, Whoring Runs in the Family
Twenty years or more ago I started making a simple pasta dish for those nights we wanted something light and basically meatless: I’d fry some garlic and anchovies in olive oil, then mix it with spaghetti. At some point I…
Leftover Polenta
We invited friends over for dinner last night, so I spent the afternoon preparing Italian meat sauce and polenta. Ditalini made a salad and one of our guests brought a chocolate cake for desert. It ws a great evening, and…
Crouton’s Chicken & Shrimp Fettuccini Alfredo
I took a package of chicken breasts out of the freezer this morning but didn’t decide what to do with them until the afternoon. I knew there were a few shrimp in the freezer, so I decided on this and…
Leftover Steak Stroganoff
We didn’t eat all the steak we grilled on Sunday, so last night I made Beef Stroganoff from the leftovers. Happy manly comfort food!
Onion & Anchovy Pasta
This is based on a recipe from Bon Appetit that Ditalini and I both like, modified to our taste (less butter, oil, and onion; more anchovy).
Crouton’s Pasta Salad with Tomatoes & Mozzarella
Notes This salad can be eaten right away, slightly warm from the freshly-cooked pasta, or refrigerated and served cold. If more is needed, simply increase the ingredients, but be careful not to overdo the spices.