Al and Darcy in the garden
Al’s last words to me before he hung up his cell phone to join his wife Darcy on board the plane to New York were – “We’re expecting a delicious lunch – I’m thinking maybe something drizzed or reduced?…”
My big brother may be able to pilot a 747, but he can barely make oatmeal, and wouldn’t know a reduction if it was dripping from his nose. But he loves that others know how to cook, and he loves to eat what we love to make for him. Introducing Al to new foods is second in fun only to turning him on to interesting new movies – I sealed my reputation on the latter count when I got him to rent John Sayle’s “Lone Star”, and since then he revels in calling up to tell me about a “Peggy Movie” he has just seen. So I was psyched for Al’s visit and the chance to make him a meal he would not forget.
But what would I serve? Could I top that meal Joe and Rachel put together for Al’s birthday in Athens a few years ago? No – that would be impossible. (I think it was the wine…) Plus, we had to be at my daughter’s show by 2 pm. It would need to be something simpler.
I called Rachel to brainstorm. I had, after all, these freshly made toasted breadcrumbs. What about crab cakes said Rachel (she makes a mean crab cake…)? No, we decided – the crumbs would take a back seat to the crab. Perhaps roasted tomatoes? Too early in the season for the good ones. I had a recipe for Apple tarts that used bread crumbs – but the afternoon was going to be too warm to serve dessert.
Then I remembered that great pasta Irene had told us about, and that Paul had made a few months back. It’s light and flavorful, perfect for a summer Sunday afternoon. Go for it, said Rachel.
The weather was perfect. We ate in the garden. I served the pasta with a side salad of Mesclun greens tossed with lemon vinaigrette, a small plate of marinated artichoke hearts and sun dried tomatoes (from Costco), and some cold fizzy lemonade with mint. We didn’t exactly drizzle anything, and nothing got reduced, but there were those amazing breadcrumbs to sprinkle, and the lemonade was great. Most importantly, Al loved it.
And I love my big brother.
Spaghetti with Fried Egg and Roasted Peppers
This recipe is from Mark Schwartz, from his book
Naples at the Table, via the New York Times. (Hat tip to Irene.) The original recipe is for 12 ounces of spaghetti, but I adjusted it for a full pound and upped the eggs just a tad. I was tempted to add an anchovy or two, and will the next time I make this delicious pasta.
Timing is everything in making this dish. You can roast and slice the peppers and prepare your ingredients ahead. Preheat the oven and start your pasta water boiling when your guests arrive. Then about 10 minutes before serving, do the rest. Pass the breadcrumbs and Parmesan for guests to sprinkle atop their pasta. This dish reheats beautifully the next day.
3 red peppers
1 1/2 tbsp capers
1 1/2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
salt
pepper
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp coarse bread crumbs
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
16 oz spaghetti (#10)
5 eggs
Extra toasted breadcrumbs
Grated Parmesan cheese
Roast the peppers on a cookie sheet under the broiler, turning them so they char evenly on all 4 sides. Remove to a brown paper bag to cool, then peel them over a large bowl, saving the juices and discarding the stem, seeds and skins. Slice into 1/4 inch strips and set aside. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
Combine the peppers, garlic, capers and parsley in a small baking dish. Season with salt and pepper, top with the breadcrumbs and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit and start some salted water boiling for the pasta in a big pot. Just before the water boils, drizzle 3 tbsp olive oil over the red peppers and place in the oven, where they will bake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add you pasta to the pot and cook till al dente, scooping out some of the pasta water about halfway through and setting it aside.
Meanwhile, heat 3-4 tbsp olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Crack the eggs into the oil and fry until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. (This is the hard part to get right – don’t overcook the yolks!). Remove from the heat.
Drain the pasta and put into a large warm serving bowl. Toss in the fried eggs along with the cooking oil the pepper mixture, and the pepper juices, using the forks to break up the eggs and allow the yolks to make a sauce as they cook up a bit in the hot pasta. Add some pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Season with salt and pepper and serve, passing the cheese and breadcrumbs to sprinkle on top.
Fizzy Minted Lemonade
Make lemonade by heating 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar with the juice of 4 lemons in a medium saucepan till the sugar melts. Pour into a large 2 quart pitcher with 4 cups cold seltzer, lots of chopped fresh mint, and ice to the top. Refrigerate for 30-40 mins and serve. (If you’re lazy, buy a can of frozen lemonade and make it with seltzer instead of water. Add mint and serve.)
Any chance you'd adopt a sister?
I could come for lunch and be feted! And I can actually make oatmeal by myself (mostly I do that in cookies, though).
I come equiped with cheese curds!
Oh, what a lovely post! How lucky you and your brother are to have each other!
I have two brothers and they have nothing to do with me, which makes me so sad. I wish we were close. I would love to make them this wonderful meal.
Thank you for sharing this warm moment in your life. And thanks for the recipe!
Peg – When you put Al in a photo with the gourmet meal in the foreground, he looks like Joe!
XOXO, OBS
Dr Peg,
I have shared many good times with your brother including a visit to your place in NYC many years ago. I hope all is well in the Big Apple.
Great recipe, I wish I had been there to enjoy a wonderful meal and the familial banter.
By the way, next time you post a picture of Alpo and his lovely wife, please pose your brother in the background.
Bardiac –
Any time you're in NY, come by and we will feed you!
Marie-
Thanks for your comment – So sorry you and your brothers are not close, I suspect you have made a family of wonderful friends, though.
Ro –
He does indeed 🙂
Pop Pop Pop
I remember you! You're a pilot too, right? Actually, I think we should have had Al bend over so we could see his bald spot – it reflects the light so nicely…