There was once a time when I could spend a whole afternoon in the kitchen. Uninterrupted. Undistracted. These days I’m lucky if my culinary forays last more than forty-five minutes. My pots are often found upturned on the kitchen floor and my wooden spoons now have a double life; used sometimes to stir the evening meal and at other times as drumsticks, held in our sons tiny hands as they tap away a happy rhythm. I would have it no other way. When he tires of the pots and wooden spoons he lunges forwards and crawls on all fours (only a very recent development!) to my feet where he carefully reaches up to my knees, pulling himself to his feet. At this point it’s all over really. I’m too much of a softie and I can’t resist the temptation to scoop him up in my arms and balance him on one hip while I continue on to cook dinner with my free hand!
So this month I share with you Pasta Puttanesca, a dish that can (almost) be cooked single handedly. It only takes ten minutes to prepare the onions, garlic and chillis and open the tins of tomatoes before Sweet Distractions come tugging at the apron strings!
What I love about this dish is that it contains very few ingredients, is quick to make and so deliciously tasty. And even better, my Sweet Distraction loves it too!