Not just for breakfast anymore...

One of my very few pleasures here is sitting on my veranda in my nightgown with my morning coffee on a tray, reading a week-old Sunday New York Times, occasionally gazing at my garden and the trees, while tossing tennis balls for the dog. This morning, I think I even saw a hummingbird near one of my flower bushes. Birds coming back to my yard to me are a sign of hope that things are getting back to normal here, because last year at this time, there was nary a songbird to be heard. Just the damned neighborhood rooster.

My reverie is usually followed by toast, but lately this has been breakfast for me. Spaghetti is a popular way to start the day here (with ketchup. Oh, the horror), which I have only lately come to appreciate. The egg in the aioli at least makes it a little breakfasty. This dish is surprisingly delicious, quick and pretty easy to have on hand, except for the herb aioli. But now that I have this fabulous mini-food processor attachment on my cheapo blender, I am never going back to Hellman’s. It takes all of 2 minutes maybe to throw the aioli together- again, all with ingredients that you probably have on hand. Spring for the good stuff – if I can find bottled San Marzano tomato concasse (very smooth, thin puree of tomatoes, basil and salt) and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in Haiti, chances are so can you wherever you are.


Spaghetti with Tuna

½ pound whole wheat spaghetti or cappellini
¼ cup San Marzano tomato concasse or tomato sauce (it needs to be very thin and smooth for this to work and taste does make a difference. Avoid Hunt's crap in a can if possible)
2 T herb aioli
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 3-oz cans solid white tuna, drained

Make spaghetti: bring about 2 quarts of water, salted, to boil. Add pasta and cook for 7-8 minutes, until al dente. Scoop out and reserve about ¼ cup of pasta water and drain rest.

Make sauce: return pasta to pot and toss with tomato concasse first. Then add aioli and toss quickly and thoroughly so that egg does not scramble. Add a little reserved pasta water to make a smooth sauce and toss. Add tuna in big chunks, plus cheese and toss again to distribute. Top with olive oil, freshly-ground black pepper, toss again and divide between two plates.

Serves 2, in the morning or anytime.