COOKING IS LIKE LOVE....

"First...
On a painted sky
Where the clouds are hung
For the Poet's Eye
You may find him
If you may find him

There...
On a distant shore
By the wings of dreams
Through an open door
You may know him
If you may

Be...
As a page that aches for a word
Which speaks on a theme that is timeless

Sing...
As a song in search of a voice that is silent

We dance...
To a whispered voice
Overheard by the soul
Understood by the heart
You may know it...
Be."  - Unknown.

Here I am in my Heaven and Earth, a 1000 miles away from my Yesterday,living on distant shores, having flown in on the wings of a dream, BEING 'the page that aches for a word', and Old Love finds me.

An antique-looking sheet of paper, tucked safely into a favourite cookery-book, lay facing me where the book fell open. So much for culinary inspiration! How did I ever let this man go?! There is no signature, but that is not important here - the words themselves reveal a man living a life with his heart, who dreams, who dances, who sees, feels, Is.  

I'm reminded by Harriet Van Horne's words: "Cooking is like Love. It should be entered into with abandon".  A favourite quote of mine, and one I sometimes rue the day I found! For it seems I've cooked and loved just like this, and BEING now on The Divine Coast, is testament to this philosophy. How apt then too, that these words of Love should be snug amongst the pages of 'stirred tomato risotto with mussels' , 'summer pasta' and 'seared swordfish'!

So here's a simple southern Italian recipe to toss with abandon into a bowl of spaghetti!

PASTA WITH TOMATO, CHILLI AND MOZZARELLA

INGREDIENTS
Extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic (press down on the clove with your palm to crack open the clove and make peeling the skin easier - this also helps to release the flavours into the oil)
2 small red chillies (dried also good - tear into pieces and add the seeds as well)
2 x approx. 440gm cans of Italian peeled tomatoes
handful of fresh basil, roughly torn
400gm  rigatoni or penne pasta
200gm fresh mozzarella or bocconcini, sliced
sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
handful of black olives (optional)
teaspoon of capers (optional)
boundless love (not optional)

METHOD
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and toss in a teaspoon of sea-salt to the water. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente. Drain. (You want to keep the pasta a little moist as this helps the sauce coat and cling to the pasta better.)

Whilst the water is getting itself ready to cook the pasta, heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for 3 minutes 'til the garlic is golden and softened.  Add the tomatoes and crush with a fork.  Add a little water to the can, swirl around and pour into the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes.

To the sauce add sea-salt and cracked black pepper to taste, and some of the shredded basil leaves.  Stir through.  You may want  to add a handful of black olives and/or capers at this stage. Continue to simmer a few minutes more until the pasta is ready, then toss the sauce through the pasta and place in serving bowls.

Served topped with sliced or cubed mozzarella and a couple of whole basil leaves.

EAT and ENJOY with relish! (don't forget to wipe up any residue sauce with some fresh white Italian bread!)

FOR INFORMATION ON COOKING CLASSES, ENOGASTRONOMIC EXCURSIONS AND MORE ON THE AMALFI COAST, PLEASE CONTACT THE WRITER.