Okay, so it really isn't called"slut's spaghetti," except in Nigella's book. It is actually called pasta alla puttanesca, which (according to Nigella) translates into "slut's spaghetti." Even if it is completely wrong, it's fun! The recipe is here.
Swede and Annika went to run errands so I started cooking. It was a surreptitious meal, I will admit. Here's why: the ingredients include anchovies, capers, and olives - all of which are objectionable to the other members of my family.
It was very easy to make. I even made the pasta myself. I used pasta dough I'd frozen from prior pasta making experiences. For what it's worth, homemade pasta dough freezes perfectly if wrapped tightly in saran wrap and then placed in a ziplock bag. I thawed it in the fridge and it rolled out like freshly-made dough. And as long as we're on the pasta topic, I highly recommend the KitchenAid pasta attachment for anybody who has a KitchenAid and has ever thought of making pasta. As evidenced by the fact that I have now made pasta several times, it is easy and idiot-proof. Astrid sampled the noodles after I cooked them. She squealed in delight. I take that to be a good sign. Though she also squeals when she manages to get a piece of random fuzz off the floor and into her mouth. I do heavily salt my noodle-cooking water, so the noodles were deliciously salty. Perhaps Astrid inherited my affinity for salt. I know Annika did (she will eat the soy sauce straight out of the bowl at sushi).
By the time Swede and Annika came home, the pasta was ready and I was just finishing up peas with mint (a bag of frozen peas with a few leaves of mint from the garden, salt, pepper, and a tablespoon of butter). Swede walks in and immediately says "it smells interesting in here." Note, "interesting" and not "good." Astrid and I knew that it was the anchovies, but I wasn't about to tell him that! He claims to hate anchovies and I wanted him to actually try the pasta. (For the record, I am also deeply disturbed by anchovies and hated every second of chopping them. But I reasoned that I love authentic Caesar dressing, which has them in it. So cleverly disguised in other yummy ingredients, anchovies are also yummy.) The capers and olives were far more obvious, but what are you going to do?
It is Memorial Day and the weather has been fantastic, so I told Annika to set the table outside. She complied. I poured her some apple juice and popped a bottle of sparkling rose for me and Swede. Annika came to the table with her own drink - coconut water that she had her dad buy her at the store. She explained that it is better to have two drinks. That way when you run out of one, you can just drink the other. Swede asked whether it would be better to have TEN drinks based on that logic. Annika was flummoxed. I raised my champagne flute to toast "Happy Memorial Day" with Swede. Annika wanted in on the toasting and insisted that each of us toast both of her drinks. That's my daughter - double-fisting it.
Both Swede and Annika loved the Slut's Spaghetti, despite the anchovies, capers, and olives. Once Swede started eating his second helping, I told him what was in it. "I KNEW I smelled something weird!" he said. He then reminded me he hates anchovies. But he admitted to loving the pasta and finished his second helping. It was good. Salty and vinegar-y. I will totally make it again because it was super-easy and quick. Annika even loved it despite her self-proclaimed hatred of olives as of last week. *sigh* Is there any consistency among five year olds?
Happy Memorial Day, everyone!
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