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| #31days of Missional Meals | | | |
For most of my life I lived in two separate worlds: private
and public. As a child, family came and went in a nearly constant slamming of
screen doors, but outsiders rarely knocked.
My first years on my own were spent working like a dog and filling my
spare hours with textbooks not dinner parties. Even when I finally had the
perfect nuclear family I rarely threw open the shudders and invited the world
in. I spent the first 25 years of my life telling myself this was normal. I was
just a private person, an introvert. I didn’t need to throw open the screen
door and let the world into my safe place.
And then, after divorce and other failures blew a huge hole
in my carefully constructed fortress, I started to figure out what you might
already know if you’ve been following Joy’s advice all month long: a good meal
with someone who cares can heal an awful lot of wounds.
The first few years after my divorce, I spent many nights
sitting around the dinner tables of caring friends: A middle-aged couple whose
cupboards are always stocked with nice wine and strong cheese; my best friend’s
loud Italian family where at least 20 varieties of pasta could always be found
in the pantry; and saddled up to a barstool with an aging bachelor buddy who
could always be counted on for a drawer full of good beer and an evening of
even better conversation. All these varying personalities have one thing in
common: their pantries are prepared for conversation.
These days, after learning from my more open friends, my
kitchen is always ready. Every Sunday evening neighbors, friends, and family
wander onto our back porch and join in our culinary adventures. Sometimes we are few and sometimes many. I
rarely know which in advance. With a stocked pantry and a little imagination I
can feed 12 as easily as 2.
The key to a memorable meal is planned spontaneity. This is
only possible when you’re pantry is always stocked with staples. A great meal
can always be made from a few of the ingredients on this
Pantry
Essentials Checklist. Most are probably already in your cupboards, but if
not, add two or three to your grocery list each week until your pantry is full.
Then throw open your screen door and whip up this simple recipe for a
crowd-pleasing pasta dish.
Tuna Puttanesca
Pasta
All of the ingredients
for this pleasing pasta are kitchen staples that you should always keep on
hand. Double or even triple the recipe to feed a crowd. Now you’ll never be
unprepared for company again!
Ingredients
1 lb Penne Pasta
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cans tuna in olive oil, drained well
6-8 cloves garlic, chopped
½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1 Tablespoon capers
½ cup white wine (or chicken stock if you don’t want to use
alcohol)
1 28-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
Salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt the
water and add pasta. Cook until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over
medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes.
Cook until fragrant (about a
minute).
3. Add the tuna, olives, and capers. Cook two minutes more.
4. Add the wine. Stir and cook until reduced a bit.
5. Add the tomatoes and cook until heated through.
6. Add ¼ cup of the pasta water to your sauce. Drain the
pasta.
7. Mix pasta with the sauce. Serve with crusty bread and a
salad for a complete meal.
Serves 4-6
Cook Time 12 minutes
Renia Carsillo shares her recipes for life, love, and dinner
at
DevelopmentofTaste.com.
Renia is currently working on her 2
nd book. Read all about it on
Kickstarter.
In all she does, Renia is working to help women find their most delicious
selves. When not cooking or writing, she can be found at the park in her pink
laces, running off all that olive oil and good wine!
