When Lou gave me this recipe I wondered, “Where is the salt and pepper and tomato paste for this?” But I followed his instructions just as he described it, and I was knocked out by the amazing fresh flavor. Nothing else was needed. You’ll love this sauce. “Lightnin’ Strikes” indeed: a lightning storm of truly Italian tomato taste!
Ingredients:
– 4 or 5 large Tomatoes, chopped
– 3 or 4 cloves of Garlic, sliced or diced
– 1/4 cup extra virgin Olive Oil
– 4 or 5 fresh Basil Leaves (rip don’t cut)
– 1/4 teaspoon Dried Pepper Flakes (also known as “pepperoncini” in Italian)
– 1-pound Linguini
Directions:
ALL INSTRUCTIONS ACCORDING TO LOU:
“Numero Uno: Always open a bottle of Italian wine before you start to cook! Once that has been established everything goes better and better…just like life in Italy.”
“Let us learn: Japan makes cars, computers and sushi. England has The Beatles, the Queen and fish & chips. But, in Italy the Pope blesses the land of Michelangelo, the golden Tuscan fields, the olive trees that shimmer in the hot southern winds of Calabria, and the secrets of Sicily. All of this makes you fall in love again. Oh, go ahead, have another glass of wine.”
“OK, back to your Hot Point: You must never cook anything without olive oil, garlic and tomatoes. They work in any combination…in any recipe: soups, salad, pasta, etc. Have another sip of wine!!! Herbs such as basil (my personal favorite), oregano, fennel, bay leaves, parsley, and pepperoncini all work in the dance of Italian food.”
“Think summer: Grow it, pick it off the vine, dice it, smash it, smell it. Ummmmmmm! Have another glass of wine and start to cook. See??????? I told you you’d feel better about life!”
“Turn on the stove. Think Sophia Loren. In a saucepan, sauté garlic to a golden brown. Add chopped tomatoes, fresh basil, and a pinch of pepperoncini. Cover and let simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.”
“Fill a large pasta pot with water and a little salt and bring to a boil. Add the linguini and cook until firm (al dente). Drain the pasta and pour your Summer Sauce over the linguini and serve. Now, open another bottle of wine.”
“For dessert: Find the Italian version of ‘Cinema Paradiso,’ winner of the Best Film at the Cannes Film Festival and Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars in 1989. You are now sharing the soul of an Italian!”
NOTE FROM MARK: “When Lou gave me this recipe, I asked him if he meant the yellow green pepperoncini peppers that are pickled in a jar, but he clarified that he meant the dried pepper flakes which are also known in Italy as ‘pepperoncini.’ However, we both agreed that the pickled pepperoncini could certainly be served on the side as well. I also want to say that when I first made this recipe, the sauce was so incredibly good that I used it over a half pound of pasta, and I couldn’t get enough of it! However you want to balance the sauce-to-pasta ratio, you can’t go wrong with this delicious and fresh sauce. It is pure Italy! And, Lou you truly rock!”
Ingredients:
– 4 or 5 large Tomatoes, chopped
– 3 or 4 cloves of Garlic, sliced or diced
– 1/4 cup extra virgin Olive Oil
– 4 or 5 fresh Basil Leaves (rip don’t cut)
– 1/4 teaspoon Dried Pepper Flakes (also known as “pepperoncini” in Italian)
– 1-pound Linguini
Directions:
ALL INSTRUCTIONS ACCORDING TO LOU:
“Numero Uno: Always open a bottle of Italian wine before you start to cook! Once that has been established everything goes better and better…just like life in Italy.”
“Let us learn: Japan makes cars, computers and sushi. England has The Beatles, the Queen and fish & chips. But, in Italy the Pope blesses the land of Michelangelo, the golden Tuscan fields, the olive trees that shimmer in the hot southern winds of Calabria, and the secrets of Sicily. All of this makes you fall in love again. Oh, go ahead, have another glass of wine.”
“OK, back to your Hot Point: You must never cook anything without olive oil, garlic and tomatoes. They work in any combination…in any recipe: soups, salad, pasta, etc. Have another sip of wine!!! Herbs such as basil (my personal favorite), oregano, fennel, bay leaves, parsley, and pepperoncini all work in the dance of Italian food.”
“Think summer: Grow it, pick it off the vine, dice it, smash it, smell it. Ummmmmmm! Have another glass of wine and start to cook. See??????? I told you you’d feel better about life!”
“Turn on the stove. Think Sophia Loren. In a saucepan, sauté garlic to a golden brown. Add chopped tomatoes, fresh basil, and a pinch of pepperoncini. Cover and let simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.”
“Fill a large pasta pot with water and a little salt and bring to a boil. Add the linguini and cook until firm (al dente). Drain the pasta and pour your Summer Sauce over the linguini and serve. Now, open another bottle of wine.”
“For dessert: Find the Italian version of ‘Cinema Paradiso,’ winner of the Best Film at the Cannes Film Festival and Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars in 1989. You are now sharing the soul of an Italian!”
NOTE FROM MARK: “When Lou gave me this recipe, I asked him if he meant the yellow green pepperoncini peppers that are pickled in a jar, but he clarified that he meant the dried pepper flakes which are also known in Italy as ‘pepperoncini.’ However, we both agreed that the pickled pepperoncini could certainly be served on the side as well. I also want to say that when I first made this recipe, the sauce was so incredibly good that I used it over a half pound of pasta, and I couldn’t get enough of it! However you want to balance the sauce-to-pasta ratio, you can’t go wrong with this delicious and fresh sauce. It is pure Italy! And, Lou you truly rock!”