1.

cup cup dry white wine dry white wine or stock (eyeball it) or stock (eyeball it)

1.

28-ounce can 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes crushed tomatoes, such as San Marzano .

cup grated cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (eyeball it), plus some to pass at the table cheese (eyeball it), plus some to pass at the table

1.

cup fresh cup fresh basil basil, 20 leaves, shredded or torn

Crusty bread, for mopping

Place a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Salt the water and add the bucatini and cook it to al dente.

While the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, make the sauce. Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the EVOO, once around the pan. Add the sausage to the skillet and break up the sausage into small bits. Brown the sausage all over, then transfer it to a paper-towel-lined plate. Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO, the garlic, onions, fennel, and peppers. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Cook, turning frequently, 7 to 8 minutes, until tender, but do not allow the fennel and onions to brown. Reduce the heat a bit if they begin to. Add the wine or stock next and reduce for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and slide the sausage back into the pan. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the pasta is done.

Drain the pasta very well and add it to the sauce. Sprinkle the pasta with cup cheese (a couple of handfuls), then toss the pasta with the thick sauce to combine. Transfer the pasta to a large shallow platter and cover the pasta with basil leaves. Serve it with extra cheese and pass crusty bread at the table to mop up the plates.

EXPRESS LANE SHOPPING LIST.

- [image]1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage bulk sweet Italian sausage - [image]1 fennel bulb fennel bulb - [image]2 cubanelle peppers cubanelle peppers - [image]1 bunch fresh basil basil - [image]1 loaf crusty bread crusty bread And make sure you have the following On Hand: - Salt - Long-cut pasta, preferably bucatini - EVOO - Garlic - Onion - Black pepper - White wine - Canned crushed tomatoes - Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Drunken Tuscan Pasta [image]

Pasta stewed up in red wine is a Tuscan invention: my kinda people! I toss it together with other usual suspects from the region: wild mushrooms, rosemary, and dark greens.

4 SERVINGS.

1.

bottle bottle Tuscan red table wine Tuscan red table wine such as Rosso di Montalcino or Chianti such as Rosso di Montalcino or Chianti

Coarse salt

1.

pound pound perciatelli perciatelli, bucatini, or spaghetti (dried long-cut pasta)

3.

tablespoons tablespoons EVOO EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil) (extra-virgin olive oil) .

pound deli-sliced pound deli-sliced pancetta pancetta (see Note) (see Note)

3.

portobello mushroom caps portobello mushroom caps, thinly sliced

2.

to 3 sprigs fresh to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary rosemary, leaves finely chopped

4.

garlic cloves garlic cloves, chopped

A couple pinches of red pepper flakes red pepper flakes

4.

to 5 cups to 5 cups chopped dark greens chopped dark greens, your choice of chard, escarole, spinach, or kale

Black pepper, to taste .

teaspoon freshly grated teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg nutmeg

Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, a handful plus some to pass at the table cheese, a handful plus some to pass at the table

Pour the entire bottle of wine into a large pot. Add water and fill the pot up as you would to cook pasta. Bring the wine and water to a boil over high heat. When the liquids boil, add salt and the pasta and cook to al dente. Heads up: you will ladle out some cooking liquid for the pasta sauce before draining the pasta.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the EVOO, twice around the pan, then chop and add the pancetta. Brown the pieces until they are golden at the edges and transfer them to a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the mushrooms to the EVOO in the same skillet, season them with the chopped rosemary, and cook until they are deeply golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Push the mushrooms to the sides of the pan and add the remaining tablespoon of EVOO to the center of the skillet. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the EVOO and cook them for a minute or so, then toss the mushrooms together with the garlic. Add the greens to the pan and season them with salt, pepper, and the nutmeg. When the greens have wilted down, add a couple of ladles of the starchy pasta cooking liquid to the pan and cook for a minute to reduce it a little.

Drain the pasta well and add it to the skillet. Add the pancetta and a handful of cheese to the pan. Toss the pasta for a minute or so to allow it to absorb the remaining liquid. Adjust the seasonings and serve. Pass the extra cheese at the table.

NOTE: Three bacon slices may be substituted for the pancetta. They are similar in that both are cured pork, the difference being that bacon is also smoked.EXPRESS LANE SHOPPING LIST - [image] pound deli-sliced pancetta pancetta (see Note) (see Note) - [image]3 portobello mushroom caps portobello mushroom caps - [image]Fresh rosemary rosemary, 2 to 3 sprigs - [image]1 large bunch or 2 small bunches dark, leafy greens dark, leafy greens, your choice of chard, escarole, spinach, or kale From the Liquor Store - [image]Tuscan red table wine or other dry red wine from your on hand or other dry red wine from your on hand And make sure you have the following On Hand: - Coarse salt - Long-cut pasta, such as perciatelli, bucatini, or spaghetti - EVOO - Garlic - Red pepper flakes - Black pepper - Nutmeg - Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Sweet Soy-Glazed Chicken with Carrot-Sesame Noodles (MYOTO) Here's another MYOTO (make your own take-out). Thai this one, you'll surely like it.

4 SERVINGS.

Salt

1.

pound pound thin long-cut pasta thin long-cut pasta, such as vermicelli .

cup cup tamari tamari plus 1 tablespoon (eyeball it) plus 1 tablespoon (eyeball it)

4.

tablespoons tablespoons brown sugar brown sugar 1.

cups cups chicken stock chicken stock