finding Alice Waters

 

Of course I've heard of Alice Waters. But I haven't been curious about her cookbooks. And then I saw this one on the sale table at the library. It's got recipes, but also lots of advice on technique and method. Maybe it's just that the cover appeals to me, but I took it, and then out of curiosity looked up her famous restaurant, Chez Panisse. There was something on the Cafe menu: mezzi rigatoni with roasted eggplant, tomato, basil, mint and feta. It was the holiday weekend; my brother is having a vacation of sorts and he always liked pasta. I decided to try and make it. 

No recipe, but it seems a rather basic idea. She gives directions on the roasting of eggplant, so I loaded it up with mint and basil and roasted it. Out of the oven I stirred in some feta, and diced tomato from a can, and put it back in the oven to mix the flavors together a bit more.

We had to have protein; I browned a few chicken drumsticks, then braised them in stock, red wine and the tomato juice from the aforementioned can. I cooked half a pound of the rigatoni, mixed it up with the eggplant, made a basic salad, and - so good! I think I was in a rut when I found that book. Thank you, Alice!