24 Hour Pasta Master
You’re probably intrigued by the title of this article. I am certainly not proclaiming myself as this…yet. The title refers to the versatility of Italy’s most famous food, as sustenance around the clock.
The other night I went to bed very early without having eaten dinner. I had an inkling that I would wake early with a rumbling tummy. Sure enough, around 3am, I woke, and my hunger was immediate.
I always crave pasta, and, as such, it forms a regular part of my diet. I absolutely adore it, in all of its forms. I could have done the usual morning thing, and made toast, accompanied by spreads, eggs, or… (yawn).. a bowl of granola, but none of those things that are Western staples when the sun has risen were going to satisfy my craving.
So, I rifled through my pantry and refrigerator in the dim light and pulled out the basic ingredients necessary for that quintessentially Roman pasta dish, Cacio e Pepe. Feeling particularly calm and enjoying the wonderful silence the middle of the night brings, I proceeded to make the best version I have ever made. Effortlessly.
A surprisingly complex dish, when done right it is incredibly delicious and transports you back to a Roman trattoria, of which I have many favourites.
This led me to think how wonderful pasta is and how clever the Italians are at creating their most classic dishes and wondering if they realise how suitable they are at any time of the day.
Let’s look at the classics – aside from Cacio e Pepe, perhaps Rome’s most famous pasta, Spaghetti Carbonara, just screams breakfast. Why have a bacon & egg roll, or a ham and cheese toasty, when you can have this! It has the same family of ingredients as those savoury Western breakfasts, just a little more exotic – why not have Guanciale in the morning? I mean, wouldn’t pork jowl be more exciting in your refrigerator than sliced ham or bacon?
The eggs – easy. The cheese, a massive double mound of aged pecorino and parmiggiano Reggiano sure beats sliced processed cheese on a toasty. I’m beginning to consider Carbonara as the breakfast of champions.
Instead of a Ham, Cheese and Tomato on Turkish, how about Linguine Amatriciana. Yum! Ripe Italian tomatoes, Guanciale, Pecorino and Olive Oil. Come on! It’s a perfect breakfast!
Or let’s skip the Tomato and Ham on toast and go for Strozzapreti Alla Gricia. Mmm…. Guanciale (yep, you better have a whole shelf for this in the fridge), Pecorino (make that a kilo block) and Black Pepper.
Oooh…. how about homemade Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni? Doesn’t that sound more interesting than Ricotta on toast with a side of Spinach?
I know I’ll never find a pasta match for granola or muesli. So, just another good reason to avoid those foods as I find them so uninspiringly boring and totally unsatisfying.
Nobody can tell me pasta isn’t healthy. Of course it is, just look at the Mediterraneans. Forming a key part of their diet, they live for yonks. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a healthy wonder. I’m proclaiming it now. Pasta is perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Forever delicious.
I went back to bed after my spectacular Cacio e Pepe and slept like a baby. I woke feeling fresh and satisfied. I think I have found my new routine. Now I can have pasta more than once a day. It’s 24-hour food of the Gods, and with practice, perhaps I will be the 24-Hour Pasta Master.
Additional images from NYT Cooking
