I recently stumbled upon Ben-Hur, the 1959 classic with Charlton Heston. It got me thinking about him as Moses in The Ten Commandments. And that got me thinking about when God spoke to me on the Mount (Etna) about pasta. Here are the Ten Commandments of Pasta.
1. I am the LORD your God. You shall worship pasta and only pasta shall you serve.
2. You shall not take the name of pasta in vain (unless it is not al dente).
3. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day. (It is called Sunday Pasta for a reason.)
4. Honor your father and your mother. (This will be easier if she serves you pasta.)
5. You shall not kill (unless the chef drowns your pasta in bad sauce).
6. You shall not commit adultery (Well, unless your spouse doesn’t like pasta.)
7. You shall not steal (except for a bite of your friend’s Carbonara).
8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (If their pasta is bad, tell the world.)
9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife (unless she makes a better Carbonara than your own).
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods (pancetta, Parmigiano, and anything pasta related are excluded).
Now, go forth and serve pasta!
Buon Appetito!
Edwin Garrubbo
Click here Wine Pairings to compliment this dish!
Ingredients
Instructions
Prepare the sauce:
In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the onion, carrot and celery in olive oil until golden. Add the lamb, rosemary, and bay leaf. When the lamb has browned, add the wine. Raise the heat and allow to evaporate. Add the tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Cover and lower the flame. Cook for the sauce for 90 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender.
Prepare the Artichokes:
In the meantime, prepare the artichokes. For fresh artichokes: Remove the outer leaves and the inner fuzz. Peel the outer part of the stems. Cut into thin slices and place in a bowl cold water and lemon juice. Drain. For fresh or canned artichokes: In a skillet over medium heat, saute the garlic until slightly golden. Add the artichokes, salt, pepper, and the white wine. Cover and cook fresh artichokes for 10-15 minutes or until they are soft. (Cook canned artichokes until the wine is evaporated.)
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pappardelle until al dente. Add to the skillet with the sauce. Add the artichokes. Mix well and serve with a generous sprinkle of Pecorino.
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