My friend Lui invited me over for lunch and asked if I would like to have pasta puttanesca. In fact, I had never tried it, but knowing that everything Lui makes is delicious, I said, yes, I would love some.
When I arrived, she had ingredients ready and I was able to watch her in action. Lui, a nurse working full time in Riyadh’s King Faisal Specialist Hospital, is the master of quick and nutritious food. She began sauteing chopped garlic in some olive oil and then added anchovies allowing all to become fragrant in the oil. Then came olives and capers, and to save time, a jar of ready made spaghetti sauce. She allowed the sauce to simmer while she cooked the noodles.
Once the noodles were cooked she drained them and mixed them with the sauce, and served our plates. She quickly cut a bit of parsley and sprinkled it on top and we went to eat.
There is nothing more satisfying than sharing a meal with a good friend, and she and I have shared many such meals together. Always grateful, she never fails to thank me for eating with her, nor does she forget to emphasize to me how lucky we are simply for the privilege of having such an abundance of nutritious food available to the two of us.
Oh, and if you are wondering just how good the sauce turned out that day, I think that this photo will answer the question adequately. 🙂
TravelGrazer 