Back from Trinidad

The weather was icky, cold, rainy, foggy, drippy. I had a shabat dinner with Earl, lit the candles and he said the prayers and I learned you don't blow them out. We had dinner earlier so we had wine, ie grape juice and challa with salt. We went to see Victorian Ferndale and toured the cool Victorian houses in Eureka. He goes to the temple to study and pray all day Sat., as a converted Jew.
Then, I went to the farmers market for Marilyn, that finished me off. It's harder shopping from a list and when I wast some snap peas I get some, she puts 5c, I get 3 cups, she puts 5 bunches of small carrots I get 5 early but not small carrots not exactly the same, at the coo[ she says get me a c of pine nuts, well I know that they cost 36. dollars and she will flip since she sent me back once with bonito flakes, peanut sauce guerre cheese and feta cheese to look for french goat cheese feta in a liquid tub like mozzarella. It takes forever. You don't know where the refrigerated flax seed extract or the cumin is and assume she wants it ground. It wore me out the first time. The second time was after we shopped for baby clothes. By the time I shopped it I was ready to take over the handicapped cart. I hope she kept and realizes soon I spent 180. for her. I'm ready for my refund.
I couldn't wait to get out of there this morning. she wanted me to stop on Oakland to drop off the baby clothes for her grandson. I wonder if she has any idea what shape I'm in after driving 6 hrs. Then to stop in rush hr.?
She asks to much.
She once asked me to do some research and I did it and called the place long distance to discover she had done it too because she wants it faster or doesn't believe your heard her or it will get done. Tell me once you don't need to write it down, or remind me, if I commit I will do it.

I found 4 cute onesies for Ben. I hope they fit they look so small. I washed them in ivory snow and rinsed them twice.


Sicilian Shepherd's Tomato Pasta with Fresh Ricotta

Inspiration:
Lynne Rossetto Kasper of The Splendid Table on NPR


Ingredients:

•1 15-ounce container creamy whole-milk ricotta cheese
•2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
•1/4 to 1/3 cup coarsely chopped salami (such as soppressata or Genoa)
•2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
•1/2 cup chopped carrot
•10 large fresh sage leaves, snipped
•1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley leaves, snipped
•2 medium onions (about 1 cup), chopped
•1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•2 large cloves, garlic
•1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
•3/4 cup dry red wine
•1 tablespoon tomato paste
•1 28-ounce can and 1 14-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and cut up
•1 pound penne rigate or bucatini pasta
•6 quarts boiling salted water

Instructions:

1.Let ricotta come to room temperature. In a 12-inch skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the salami; cook to release a little of its fat. Stir in the celery, carrot, sage, parsley, onions, black pepper, and salt. Reduce heat to medium; cook and stir until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
2.Stir in the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes; cook 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes. Cook, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until thick.
3.Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain in a colander.
4.Add the pasta to the sauce and toss together over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through. Spread about one-third of the pasta in a warm serving bowl. Top with one-third of the ricotta. Layer in more pasta and ricotta, then the remaining pasta; finish with a few spoonfuls of ricotta. Serve hot.

Recipe Notes:

Soffritto is literally a "sautéed base" and is the building block for tomato sauce. This pasta dish features the best of pasta, cheese and tomatoes all in one place. Lynne Rossetto Kasper, author and radio show host of "The Splendid Table®," is fond of this dish. Use the sweetest, creamiest ricotta cheese you can find. Soppressata or Genoa salami add a pleasant amount of spice to this pasta dish; you can find these varieties at a gourmet food store.


Notes:
This was a new twist on pasta sauce- I really enjoyed it. It's amazing how much better homemade sauce tastes. This was a fairly easy recipe as long as you don't mind chopping some vegetables. You could surely make the sauce ahead of time. Before eating, boil the pasta, warm up the sauce, and toss together.