Three-thirty AM Saturday morning, my IPhone alarm did its thing… it woke me up! 

Was it “time to make the donuts” (referencing Fred the Baker in 1984, who would repeat that phrase in a somber tone as he was getting ready before dawn, day after day, to make sure fresh donuts were ready). No. It was time for me to get up. I had to drive my wife and son to JFK Airport. 

They were off to Fleming Island, Florida for five days. Our granddaughter, Aiden was graduating sixth grade and Grammy (my wife) wanted to be there for this. Isn’t that what grandmothers do? 

I was back home by 6:45 much to the satisfaction of our three dogs, Darcy, Snow and Aries. Their joy was not so much that I returned home, but more for the fact their tummies knew breakfast was ninety minutes past due.

Once they were satisfied, I poured myself a cup of hot coffee and made myself breakfast; a toasted English muffin with peanut butter and jelly on one half, butter and cinnamon on the other. When my tummy was satisfied, I went about making my first pot of sauce.

See, when my wife heads to Florida, I get excited… I’m home alone! By myself!

Don’t get me wrong, Debbie is the love of my life, the spark which lights the flame, the sustenance which nourishes my soul, the pillar of our family unity. I’d be nothing if I didn’t have her. But for five days, I’m in the peace and quiet of my home, free to do as I please when I please. Gents, you’re with me on this, right? Don’t leave me hanging out there to drip dry.

The “do as I please when I please” excitement is I can eat pasta… for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the next five days! What can be better than that?

I opened the refrigerator door to scour the shelves. What do we have home to make my sauce? … What can I use? …What’o-we got.

I looked through the top shelf, second shelf, two drawers, door and … abracadabra … I got it.

I need music playing when I’m in the kitchen, so I tune in New York’s classic rock station, 104.3 The Q, take out my 4qt sauce pot and began the process :

As Santana’s, “Black Magic Women” was playing, I made a mirepoix consisting of diced carrots, celery and onion. To this I added a lot of freshly sliced garlic. I did a “rough cut” on the mirepoix because today I wanted my sauce to be thick and chunky, opposed to silky and smooth.

The Doobie Brothers, “Rockin’ Down the Highway” immediately followed as I cover the bottom of the sauce pot with olive oil. Once the oil was hot, I drop in the mirepoix and listen for the sizzle. It’s important to cook the mirepoix low and slow to sweeten the ingredients rather than caramelize them. These slow-cooked aromatic vegetables form the first layer of flavor of any recipe.

While the mirepoix sizzled, I added one-quarter cup of white wine, (we buy the one gallon size, Gallo Chardonnay solely for cooking). Leaving the flame on low to cook off the alcohol, I diced the approximate half-pound of mortadella I found in the drawer and added it to the mirepoix. This was followed by a tablespoon of capers and leftover marinated roasted red peppers.

Note: when adding ingredients, remember to add a pinch of salt and pepper along the way. Salt enhances flavor, whereas pepper adds the spice.

Ten minutes later, the base flavors were ready for the tomatoes. I added one 28oz can each of, petite diced tomato and tomato sauce, stirring continuously for two to three minutes.

As Peter Frampton’s, “Do You Feel Like We Do” started playing, I added one-half teaspoon of crushed red peppers, garlic powder, onion powder, two tablespoon of oregano and one tablespoon of sugar, stirred all together and simmered for the next thirty-five minutes.

This left me with three problems:

1. I had to wait till dinner time to eat 
2. I needed fresh Italian bread
3. I had to choose a pasta to accommodate the richness of my sauce.

Such problems!

Mangia…